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HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  &  CO. 
BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK. 


THE    MISTRESS   OF   BEECH 
KNOLL 


A  NOVEL 


BY 


CLARA   LOUISE   BURNHAM 


Love  can  love  but  once  a  life.'' 

TENNYSON. 


BOSTON    AND    NEW    YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLTN   AND   COMPANY 
(9TJK  fiitocrsibe 


Copyright,  1890, 
BY  CLARA  LOUISE  BCRNHAM. 

All  rights  reserved. 


The  Riverside  Press,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  U.  S  A. 
Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  II.  0.  Houghton  &  Co. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTKB  PAOK 

I.  BEECH  KNOLL          .......  1 

IL  A  PRICKED  BUBBLE 12 

III.  UNDER  THE  EAVES 20 

IV.  ONCE  AGAIN 38 

V.  IN  THE  MIDST  OF  LIFE 49 

VI.   A  SHARP  REBUFF 66 

VII.   THE  MOTH  AND  THE  CANDLE         .        .        .        .77 

VIII.  ROXANA'S  BOARDER 93 

IX.  Miss  REBECCA 105 

X.  ALL  SORTS  OF  FLOWERS 116 

XI.  Miss  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERY 126 

XII.  A  GOLDEN  MORNING 142 

XIII.  TRAILING  ARBUTUS 152 

XIV.  THE  HELPING  HAND 167 

XV.    COUNTER-IRRITANTS 179 

XVI.  A  VENOMOUS  STING 194 

XVII.   ATTACK  AND  DEFENSE 204 

XVIII.   THE  OLD  BRIDGE 223 

XIX.  MR.  BELLOWS'  CONFIDENCE 237 

XX.   ELISE 250 

XXI.   THE  CRASH 261 

XXII.    A  BITTER  CUP 275 

XXIII.   THE  EARLY  TRAIN  .  288 


2228469 


iv  CONTENTS. 

XXIV.   "  Go,  LITTLE  LETTER  " 301 

XXV.   "  O  HEAKT  !  ARE  YOU  GREAT  ENOUGH  ?  " .        .  310 
XXVI.   ANYWHERE  !  ANYWHERE  !  323 

XXVH.  OUT  OF  THE  WORLD 338 

XXVIII.  NATURE  AND  ART 346 

XXIX.  SUNSET .        .        .363 

XXX.  TONY  OFFENDS 381 

XXXT.   "THE  GOLDEN  CLOSE  OF  LOVE"       .        .        .395 

XXXTT.  THANKSGIVING  .  409 


THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BEECH   KNOLL. 

"I  SHOULD  think  the  whole  town  had  lost  its 
wits !  "  observed  Roxana  Sherritt  scornfully. 

She  was  sitting  by  the  dining-table  in  Dr.  Joy's 
house,  polishing  the  roses  on  a  silver  coffee-pot. 
Whatever  Roxaua  did,  she  did  with  her  might, 
and  she  concentrated  her  attention  now  on  the  an- 
tique silver  with  the  same  care  which  she  bestowed 
habitually  on  all  the  doctor's  belongings,  including 
his  niece  Phyllis,  who  sat  near  by,  rubbing  silver 
forks  with  a  piece  of  chamois  skin,  and  laughing 
softly  at  the  housekeeper's  intolerant  remarks. 

"  You  must  remember  that  nothing  ever  hap- 
pened before,  in  Snowdon,"  replied  the  girl. 

"  Humph !  Where  human  bein's  live,  you  can 
be  pretty  sure  there  's  plenty  happens,"  remarked 
Roxana. 

"  Well,  nothing  ever  happened  to  me  before," 
said  Phyllis,  lifting  her  brilliant  face  to  her  com- 
panion. Her  cheeks  had  a  soft  brunette  coloring, 


2  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

her  dark  eyes  held  in  them  two  flashing  stars  ; 
her  black,  fine  hair,  worn  short,  had  a  gloss  as 
though  each  hair  were  separately  polished,  and  it 
waved  in  such  thickness  that  a  parting  refused  to 
divide  it,  much  to  Mrs.  Sherritt's  sorrow.  In- 
deed, the  worthy  woman  considered  this  her  only 
failure  in  bringing  Phyllis  up.  She  had  never 
been  able  to  conquer  the  boyish,  curly  crop,  whose 
appropriateness  to  the  pretty  oval  face  she  was  not 
able  to  see. 

That  it  was  a  pretty  face,  Roxana  knew  well 
enough,  and  she  was  struck  afresh  by  the  gleaming 
smile  with  which  the  girl  now  regarded  her. 

"  What 's  the  matter,  you  rogue  ?  "  she  asked, 
with  a  reluctant  answering  smile.  "  Why  do  you 
consider  that  anything  has  happened  to  you? 
Beech  Knoll  bein'  sold  has  n't  brought  any  cash 
into  your  pocket." 

"  Cash !  "  The  thin  scarlet  lip  curled  scorn- 
fully. "  What  do  I  care  for  cash  ?  " 

"It's  a  convenient  thing  to  have  around,"  re- 
marked Roxana,  continuing  her  vigorous  rubbing, 
"  and  I  hope  you  '11  never  know  the  want  of  it. 
Next  to  health,  it 's  the  most  important  thing 
in"  — 

"  Well,  then,"  interrupted  Phyllis,  "  the  sale  of 
Beech  Knoll  has  brought  health  to  a  great  many 
persons." 

"  What  on  earth  are  you  talkin'  about  ?  " 

"  Why,  it  has  developed  a  taste  for  walking  in 
every  woman  in  town.  Even  the  feeblest  is  able 


BEECH  KNOLL.  3 

to  take  a  walk  along  the  road  to  Beech  Knoll  since 
it  has  come  out  that  the  purchaser  wishes  to  be 
anonymous.  Uncle  Doctor  says  his  business  is 
completely  ruined  ;  "  and  Phyllis  laughed  again,  in 
enjoyment  of  the  expression  upon  Roxana's  face. 

"  The  amusing  part  of  it  is  that  each  couple 
of  strollers  look  with  such  suspicion  and  disfavor 
upon  each  other  couple  of  strollers,  as  though 
questioning  their  right  to  saunter  along  that  par- 
ticular highway.  Jealous  already,  you  see." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  tossed  her  head.  "  There  are  more 
different  sorts  o'  simpletons  in  this  town  than  I 
ever  had  the  least  idea  of." 

"  I,  for  one,  am  very  much  obliged  to  the  prom- 
enaders  for  their  fine  detective  work,"  declared 
Phyllis  demurely.  "  There  is  an  immense  deal  to 
be  discovered  up  at  the  old  place,  and  I  am  in- 
tensely curious ;  yet  my  bringing  up  cuts  me  off 
from  hanging  about  the  fences  and  picking  up 
stray  bits  of  wall  paper  that  have  floated  out  of 
the  windows,  or  watching  the  loads  of  furniture  go 
in.  Oh,  Roxana,"  she  added,  in  a  different  tone, 
"  he  must  be  awfully  rich." 

"  Well,  yes,  Miss  Jones  yesterday  insisted  on 
tellin'  me  all  she  knew,  and  she  has  found  out 
more  than  any  one  else  could  in  the  same  space  o' 
time,  and  there  must  be  a  pile  o'  money  bein' 
spent  on  the  place." 

"  Yes,"  returned  the  girl  eagerly,  "  it  will  be  ut- 
terly changed.  Roxana,"  she  added  mysteriously, 
*'  don't  you  think  he  must  be  a  misanthrope  to  be 


4  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

willing  to  make  such  a  beautiful,  secluded  home  in 
this  sleepy  little  town  ?  " 

Mrs.  Sherritt  looked  up  sharply.  "  If  it 's  a 
4  he '  at  all,  he  prob'ly  has  a  whole  drove  o'  chil- 
dren, and  is  comiu'  out  into  the  country  to  turn 
'em  loose." 

"  Roxana  !  "  Phyllis  regarded  her  reproach- 
fully, yet  pityingly.  Poor  Roxana !  She  could 
not  be  expected  to  care  for  a  romance. 

"l  What  I  keep  thinkin'  of  is  Miss  Redmond," 
continued  the  housekeeper.  "  What  would  Miss 
Rebecca  say  to  all  these  fine  doin's,  decorations, 
and  the  dear  knows  what  ?  Spiders  were  the  only 
decorators  known  at  Beech  Knoll  in  her  day,  and 
small  peace  she  left  'em  with  her  broom.  She  was 
a  tidy  little  body  and  a  good  woman,  if  one  ever 
lived." 

"  I  remember  Miss  Redmond,"  said  Phyllis  re- 
flectively. "  The  last  time  I  saw  her  she  gave  me 
a  large  scalloped  cookie  with  caraway  seeds  in  it." 

"  She  made  'em  better  than  any  one  in  town," 
said  Roxana  reminiscently.  "  Oh,  what  a  time 
she  did  have  of  it,  one  way  and  another ;  and  yet 
you  sit  up  there  and  say  nothin'  ever  happened  in 
Snowdon." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mean  such  uninteresting  things  as 
sickness  and  death,"  said  Phyllis  explanatorily. 
"  Of  course  I  remember  her  sister-in-law,  Mrs. 
Richard  Redmond,  who  was  an  invalid  and  al- 
ways wore  a  little  black  shawl';  and  I  remember 
when  she  died,  and  when  old  Mr.  Redmond  died, 


BEECH  KNOLL.  5 

—  that  is  n't  the  sort  of  thing  I  mean ;  I  mean 
something  happy  and  —  and  romantic,  or  romantic 
anyway,  even  without  the  happiness." 

"  Oh,  well,"  responded  Roxana  curtly,  "  if  you  're 
willin'  to  take  romance  dry  so,  without  any  sugar, 
there  was  a  romance  happened  right  there  at 
Beech  Knoll,  where  you  're  settin'  up  a  hero  to  suit 
yourself.  There  have  been  heroes  enough  there,  to 
my  way  o'  thinkin'." 

Phyllis  looked  up  with  parted  lips.  "  Did  Miss 
Redmond  have  a  lover  —  that  white-haired  old 
lady  ?  " 

"  She  was  n't  born  white-haired,  you  little  goose, 
and  she  ain't  old  if  she 's  alive  to-day.  Her  hair 
turned  white  along  of  a  trouble  she  had.  A  cousin 
o'  hers  brought  a  college  friend  to  make  a  visit  at 
Beech  Knoll,  and  Miss  Rebecca  fell  desperately  in 
love  with  the  young  man,  and  he  fell  just  as  deep 
in  love  with  her." 

"  Then  why  "  —  exclaimed  Phyllis  eagerly. 

"  Because  he  was  engaged  already,"  returned 
Roxana  shortly.  "  Don't  ask  me  why  nor  where- 
fore, 'cause  I  don't  know.  Some  boy  and  girl  af- 
fair, I  suppose.  Anyway,  the  young  man  found 
out  he  'd  made  a  mistake  ;  but  it  was  too  late. 
His  sweetheart  was  frail,  and  he  thought  't  would 
kill  her  if  he  should  try  to  break  off,  so  he  pre- 
ferred to  go  on  niakiii'  mistakes,  and  went  away 
from  Beech  Knoll  and  got  married  to  her." 

"  It  did  not  turn  out  well,  then?  "  asked  Phyllis 
with  interest. 


6  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  I  don't  know  one  thing  about  it,"  said  Roxana 
firmly,  "  except  on  general  principles  I  s'pose  it 
did  n't."  Mrs.  Sherritt  always  waxed  pessimistic 
on  the  subject  of  marriage,  her  own  having  been 
an  unmitigated  failure.  "  I  should  never  have 
known  anythin'  about  Miss  Rebecca's  love  affair 
except  for  goin'  to  help  nurse  Mrs.  Richard  Red- 
mond in  her  last  days  ;  and  she,  about  worshipin' 
her  sister-in-law,  always  wanted  to  talk  about  her, 
so  she  told  me  this  story.  She  did  n't  tell  me  the 
man's  name,  and  I  shotdd  n't  have  remembered  it 
if  she  had,"  added  Roxana  hastily,  forestalling  the 
question  she  saw  hovering  on  Phyllis's  lips. 

"  Poor  Miss  Redmond !  How  she  must  have 
suffered !  " 

"  Oh,  she  had  enough  trouble  one  way  and  an- 
other," said  the  housekeeper,  nodding  her  head, 
and  rubbing  a  silver  cream  pitcher  until  it  shone 
again.  "  Her  father  did  n't  make  provision  for 
her  in  his  will  —  that 's  the  way  with  men,  it  never 
seems  to  occur  to  'em  that  their  daughters  would 
enjoy  independence  as  well  as  their  sons  —  and  the 
first  thing  Miss  Rebecca  knew,  one  fine  day  her 
brother  sold  the  old  home  right  over  her  head 
without  consultin'  her  a  word.  That  was  a  mighty 
mean  trick,  and  Miss  Redmond  felt  it.  Her 
brother  was  a  man  o'  business  in  the  city,  and 
had  n't  any  use  for  the  old  place  himself,  now  his 
wife  was  dead,  and  he  just  wrote  a  note  to  his 
sister  that  he  'd  do  anythin'  she  liked  in  the  way 
o'  findin'  a  boardin'  place  for  her  and  payiu'  her 


BEECH  KNOLL.  7 

expenses,  but  she  'cl  have  to  move  out  o'  Beech 
Knoll  and  not  even  take  a  stick  o'  the  furniture 
with  her.  Miss  Redmond  was  a  quiet,  gentle  sort 
o'  person,  but  that  treatment  provoked  her.  She 
refused  his  help  and  went  away,  and  that 's  all  we 
know  about  her." 

"  What  a  shameful  kind  of  a  brother  ! "  ex- 
claimed Phyllis  indignantly,  "  after  all  the  kind- 
ness Miss  Redmond  had  shown  to  his  poor  sick 
wife." 

"  Yes,"  remarked  Roxana,  with  a  grim  smile. 
"  Men  ain't  any  great,  but  Mr.  Richard  Redmond 
was  rather  below  the  average.  Why,  about  a 
year  before  his  wife  died,  he  brought  a  fifteen-year- 
old  girl  home  there  to  Beech  Knoll  to  spend  her 
school  vacation,  and  the  way  he  cavorted  with  that 
girl,  rowin',  drivin',  fishin',  walkin',  runnin',  and 
rompin'  generally,  for  four  weeks,  was  a  perform- 
ance to  see,  considerin'  his  wife  was  such  an  in- 
valid she  could  n't  leave  the  house,  and  he  'd  never 
been  able  before  to  spare  more  than  two  or  three 
days  at  a  time  from  business  to  visit  her.  It  was 
enough  to  make  that  poor,  sick  wife  miserable  to 
see  the  goin's  on,  tho'  he  was  callin'  Elise,  that 
was  the  girl's  name,  nothin'  but  a  child,  all  the 
time.  He  could  n't  get  out  o'  bringin'  her,  he  said, 
because  her  father  was  his  friend,  and  as  he  lived 
way  out  in  California  he  had  asked  Mr.  Redmond 
to  let  the  girl  spend  part  of  her  vacation  with  him 
and  his  wife.  That  experience  was  a  trial  to  Miss 
Redmond.  She  told  me  riffht  out  she  was  afraid 


8  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

it  made  her  sister  sad  to  see  so  much  life  and 
health  about,  when  she  did  n't  have  any  herself ; 
but  she  spoke  kind  o'  the  girl.  '  Elise  is  a  well- 
behdved,  good  child,'  she  said  to  me,  '  a  very  in- 
nocent, happy  child.'  Richard  Redmond  was  a 
mass  o'  selfishness,"  finished  Roxana  rather  inco- 
herently. "  He  was  never  "  — 

The  speaker  was  suddenly  interrupted  by  a  clash 
of  silver,  as  Phyllis,  dropping  a  handful  of  forks 
upon  the  table,  started  up  and  ran  to  the  window. 

"  Well,  well,  what  are  you  up  to  now  ?  "  de- 
manded Roxana  tartly.  It  hurt  her  in  a  sensitive 
place  to  have  solid  silver  thus  recklessly  handled. 

"  It  is  the  de"p6t  carriage,"  said  Phyllis  breath- 
lessly, as  the  sound  of  wheels  became  louder. 
"  There  is  somebody  inside  to-day.  Oh,  why  can't 
I  see!" 

Roxana  was  human,  and,  after  all,  she  had 
not  wholly  escaped  the  prevailing  epidemic.  She 
pushed  her  chair  back  and  hastened  to  look  over 
the  girl's  shoulder  in  an  effort  to  distinguish  the 
passenger.  At  the  same  time  she  spoke  excitedly. 

"  Phyllis  Flower,  it  will  be  a  disgrace  if  you 
let  Jake  Harvey  see  you  cranin'  your  neck  after 
his  carriage.  Forever  !  "  she  ejaculated,  with  a 
start,  while  Phyllis  gave  a  low  ripple  of  laughter. 
"  Phyllis,  that  ne'er-do-well,  good-for-nothin'  Jake 
Harvey  winked  at  us.  I  saw  him  as  plain  as  I  see 
you  this  minute." 

"  Don't  mind,  Roxana,"  said  Phyllis,  still  laugh- 
ing. "  Jake  did  n't  mean  any  harm.  Pie  syni- 


BEECH  KNOLL.  9 

pathizes  with  us  all.  He  knows  what  pangs  we 
suffer.  I  only  wish  I  understood  what  his  wink 
meant.  Was  n't  there  some  one  in  the  carriage  ?  " 

"  There  must  have  been,"  replied  the  house- 
keeper, still  smarting,  "  for  there  was  a  satchel  on 
the  front  seat." 

"  Then  I  think  I  had  better  go  out  for  a  walk," 
said  the  girl  mischievously. 

"  No,  you  won't  go  for  a  walk,"  replied  Mrs. 
Sherritt  hotly.  "  No  one  can  say  that  you  've 
done  any  o'  the  gallivantin'  that 's  been  done  in 
this  town  this  spring,  nor  you  won't  begin  now." 

Phyllis  laid  a  coaxing  hand  on  her  shoulder. 

"  Just  see  how  unreasonable  you  are,  Roxana ; 
you  won't  let  me  have  a  look  at  the  place  now  it 
is  done,"  she  said.  "  Why.  they  say  the  turf  al- 
ready looks  lovely,  the  hedges  are  trimmed,  and 
where  it  all  used  to  be  so  ragged  and  unkempt, 
now  one  would  think  the  very  stones  of  the  house 
had  been  washed.  Come,  you  ought  to  see  it. 
Come  with  me,  there  's  a  dear.  After  the  hero,  or 
the  misanthrope,  or  whatever  he  is,  arrives,  you 
won't  want  to  seem  to  hover  around  "  — 

"  Fiddlesticks !  Phyllis  Flower,  look  at  me. 
Do  I  look  like  a  person  in  the  habit  o'  hoverin' 
around  other  folks's  grounds  ?  " 

"  No.  I  say  you  do  not.  Come,  Roxana,  let  us 
take  a  walk  up  there  for  once.  Have  n't  we  as 
much  right  there  as  any  one  else  ?  " 

Roxana  gathered  up  the  shining  silver  with 
determined  hands.  "  I  know  my  faults,"  she  ob- 


10  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

served,  "  and  I  ain't  afraid  to  say  that  curiosity 
ain't  one  of  'em.  Them  new  people  can  come  to 
Beech  Knoll  and  live  there  for  six  months,  and  if 
I  don't  lay  eyes  on  'em  the  whole  time,  I  shall  sleep 
and  eat  precisely  as  well  as  if  I  was  visitin'  'em 
every  day." 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked  a  masculine  voice, 
and  Dr.  Joy  came  into  the  room.  He  was  a  stout, 
genial-looking  man,  whose  face  looked  florid  in 
contrast  to  his  short,  white  side  whiskers.  "  What 
is  the  excitement,  Phyllis  ?  " 

"  We  are  saying,"  returned  the  girl,  the  stars  in 
her  dark  eyes  twinkling,  "  that  Roxana  is  not  in 
the  least  curious,  but  that,  to  gratify  my  curiosity, 
and  to  show  a  proper  interest  in  the  Redmond 
family,  she  ought  to  walk  up  to  Beech  Knoll  with 
me  this  afternoon." 

"  That 's  Phyllis's  story,"  said  Mrs.  Sherritt 
rather  sulkily.  "  For  my  part,  I  think  there 's 
enough  folks  to  oversee  the  improvements  up 
there  without  us." 

"Uncle  Doctor,  I  have  not  seen  it  since  you 
drove  me  there  in  the  buggy  a  month  ago,  and 
now  everything  is  finished  and  the  grounds  are  in 
order,  and  I  want  to  go  this  very  afternoon.  May 
I  not?" 

"  Why,  yes,  certainly.  I  would  take  you  my- 
self but  that  I  must  go  in  the  other  direction  now. 
There  is  oue  old  man  in  town  whose  rheumatism 
has  kept  him  at  home  through  all  the  excitement, 
and  so  he  deserves  double  sympathy.  I  have  been 


BEECH  KNOLL.  11 

glad  to  have  you  kept  out  of  the  committee  of  in- 
vestigation so  far  ;  but  I  think  it  is  all  right  now, 
Roxana,  for  the  child  to  have  a  view  of  the  place 
before  it  is  inhabited." 

"Very  well,"  responded  Mrs.  Sherritt  stiffly, 
"  if  she  goes,  I  go  too." 

"  Have  n't  I  invited  you  ?  "  said  Phyllis  gayly, 
skipping  across  the  room  and  hugging  the  doctor 
en  route.  "  Uncle  Doctor,  you  're  a  dear !  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  that 's  all  right,"  grumbled  Roxana, 
"  but  it 's  a  mighty  good  thing  that  I  'm  in  this 
house  for  a  balance  wheel.  Get  your  hat  on.  I  '11 
be  ready  as  soon  as  you  are." 


CHAPTER  II. 

A    PRICKED    BUBBLE. 

As  the  two  set  forth  in  the  cool,  fresh  air,  it  did 
not  take  long  for  Phyllis  to  talk  her  companion 
into  good  humor.  Secretly,  Roxana  thought  she 
would  enjoy  seeing  Beech  Knoll  reclaimed  from  its 
old  familiar  shabbiness,  and  making  the  excur- 
sion as  it  were,  under  protest,  suited  her  very  well. 
She  contented  herself  by  austere  nods  to  the  few 
friends  who  passed  them  on  the  road,  as  though  to 
warn  them  against  confounding  her  motives  with 
theirs  for  traversing  the  well-trodden  path. 

They  had  completed  about  half  the  distance 
when  an  acquaintance,  whom  Mrs.  Sherritt  partic- 
ularly disapproved,  was  discerned  coming  swiftly 
toward  them,  and  waving  them  back  with  both 
hands. 

"  What 's  the  matter  with  Miss  Jones  ?  "  mut- 
tered Roxana. 

"  He  's  come,  he  's  come  !  "  exclaimed  the  spin- 
ster, rushing  up  to  them  breathlessly.  "Jake 
Harvey  has  just  gone  in  at  the  driveway  with  a 
trunk  and  satchel.  There  was  no  one  inside  the 
carriage,  and  he  nodded  to  me  in  a  knowing  way 
and  said, '  The  gentleman  preferred  to  walk.'  I  'in 
going  to  get  a  look  at  him  or  know  the  reason 


A   PRICKED   BUBBLE.  13 

why,"  and  the  speaker  was  off  before  Roxana 
could  pronounce  a  repudiatory  speech. 

"  There,"  she  said  to  Phyllis,  with  exasperation, 
"  you  see  what  we  've  got  into  now.  Do  you 
think  I  want  you  mixed  up  with  that  kind  of  a 
vulgar  performance  ?  " 

Phyllis  tried  to  repress  her  laughter.  "  We  will 
do  anything  you  say,  Roxana,"  she  said  meekly ; 
"  but,"  with  sudden  and  irrepressible  interest,  "  I 
would  love  to  see  him.  Would  n't  you  ?  " 

"  The  cat's  foot  and  the  kitten's  elbow  !  What 
should  I  want  to  see  him  for  ?  Phyllis  Flower,  we 
are  goin'  home." 

Phyllis  stopped  a  moment,  half  minded  to  mu- 
tiny. She  had  been  brought  up  with  old-fash- 
ioned, strict  ideas  of  obedience,  and  it  never  oc- 
curred to  her  that  she  had  grown  too  old  for  the 
housekeeper's  jurisdiction ;  but  this  afternoon  she 
had  her  uncle's  promise,  and  his  was  a  higher 
court  of  appeal  than  Roxana's. 

The  latter  looked  at  her,  surprised  at  her  hesi- 
tation. 

"  I  want  to  see  Beech  Knoll,"  said  Phyllis  ob- 
stinately. 

"  But  you  don't  want  to  be  seen  gapin'  at  his 
property  by  the  new  man,  do  you?  You  don't 
want  to  feel  about  as  small  as  a  pint  o'  cider  half 
drank  up,  do  you  ?  " 

After  meditating  a  moment,  Phyllis  seemed  to 
decide  that  she  did  not.  At  any  rate,  she  turned 
about  and  walked  on  by  the  housekeeper's  side, 


14  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

secretly  supported  by  the  hope  that  the  new  pro- 
prietor was  an  accomplished  pedestrian,  and  that 
they  might  meet  him  before  reaching  their  own 
door. 

Her  silence  smote  upon  Mrs.  Sherritt.  "  Your 
uncle  shall  drive  you  around  by  Beech  Knoll,"  she 
said  consolingly.  *'  It  ain't  goin'  to  run  away , 
and  if  the  new  people  are  such  as  he  can  visit  in  a 
social  way,  you  '11  have  the  satisfaction  o'  knowin' 
that  you  have  n't  gone  snoopin'  around  like  the 
most  o'  folks.  Phyllis,  who  is  that  walkin'  kind 
o'  slow  up  the  street  ?  " 

The  girl  raised  her  eyes  eagerly,  but  the  light 
went  out  of  them  as  she  saw  approaching  only  a 
slight,  small  woman  in  a  black  di-ess. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  replied. 

"  That  walk  "  —  pursued  Roxana,  hurrying  a  lit- 
tle. "  It  can't  be  —  It  must  be  —  Why,  I  know 
it  is !  It  is  Miss  Redmond.  Miss  Rebecca,  Miss 
Rebecca !  "  she  exclaimed,  almost  running  forward 
to  meet  the  white-haired  lady,  whose  hands  she 
grasped  and  shook  with  joyful  energy.  "  You 
have  come  back  at  last,  Miss  Rebecca,  at  last !  " 

"  I  have  come  back,"  said  Miss  Redmond,  re- 
turning the  pressure  of  the  honest  hands,  much 
pleased  at  this  unhoped-for  welcome ;  "  greatly  to 
my  surprise,  too,  Roxana,  for  I  never  expected 
to  see  Snowdon  again.  Who  is  this  ? "  she  con- 
tinued, as  Phyllis  advanced.  "  Not  little  Phyllis, 
—  surely  not  Phyllis  ?  " 

"  Phyllis    herself,"    responded    Mrs.    Sherritt, 


A  PRICKED   BUBBLE.  15 

striving  to  keep  her  loving  pride  out  of  her  voice. 
"  Is  n't  she  grown  a  great  girl  ?  " 

"A  great  girl,"  said  the  newcomer  musingly, 
taking  her  hand.  "  I  had  just  been  asking  myself 
if  I  were  not  a  ghost  revisiting  its  old  haunts,  and 
this  grown-up  child  makes  me  realize  more  than 
ever  that  ten  years  is  a  long  time." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Phyllis,  looking  with  interest 
into  the  calm  gray  eyes,  where  a  suspicious  mois- 
ture had  crept,  "  you  were  much  larger  when  I 
was  nine." 

Miss  Redmond  shook  her  head  and  smiled.  "  I 
have  to  look  up  to  you,  now,  —  but  it  is  worth  the 
trouble." 

The  girl  colored  a  little.  "  That  is  the  prettiest 
compliment  I  shall  ever  receive,  I  am  sure,"  she 
replied. 

"  The  sight  of  your  face  is  good,  Roxana,"  said 
Miss  Redmond,  looking  back.  "  I  have  feared  to 
find  many  changes  here.  At  least  you  are  the 
same.  How  are  all  the  friends  ?  How  is  my  dear 
old  minister  ?  " 

Roxana  shook  her  head.  "  Mr.  Dunham  is  dead 
and  gone,  Miss  Rebecca,  but  such  is  life,  you  know. 
Ten  years  is  a  long  time,  and,  considering  I  think 
you  '11  find  things  have  stood  pretty  still  in  Snow- 
don.  Why  am  I  keepin'  you  standin'  in  the  street 
all  day !  I  hope  you  was  on  your  way  to  our 
house.  The  doctor  will  be  amazin'ly  glad  to  see 
you,  and  he  '11  take  it  very  kind  that  you  came  out 
to  see  us.  I  don't  know  any  one  else  in  town  who 
has  a  claim  before  ours." 


16  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Thank  you,  Roxana,  not  just  3Tet.  I  must  go 
up  to  the  old  home  first." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  nodded  her  head  sympathetically. 
"  Very  natural  you  should  want  to,  Miss  Rebecca, 
but  you  '11  find  changes  there." 

Miss  Redmond's  lips  tightened,  and  a  shadow  of 
pain  flitted  across  her  face. 

"  Does  it  look  so  very  different  ? "  she  asked 
wistfully. 

"  It  has  been  sold  again,"  explained  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt, "to  somebody  with  more  money  than  he 
rightly  knows  what  to  do  with,  I  guess  ;  and  from 
what  I  hear,  the  old  house  is  rigged  out  complete. 
Truth  to  tell,  I  have  n't  been  near  it  myself.  Most 
o'  the  women  in  town  have  put  off  their  house 
cleanin'  to  oversee  the  improvements,  and  I  thought 
I  could  be  spared." 

"  They  will  not  let  you  in,  Miss  Redmond,"  add- 
ed Phyllis  gently,  "  not  even  inside  the  grounds,  I 
have  heard  people  say  ;  and  would  n't  that  be  — 
be  hard  for  you  ?  " 

Miss  Redmond  smiled  faintly  and  looked  at  the 
speaker  a  moment  in  silence. 

"  You  are  a  kind  child,"  she  said  ;  then,  after  a 
pause,  she  went  on :  "I  do  not  understand  how  all 
this  has  been  done  so  quietly,  but  evidently  you  do 
not  know  what  has  brought  me  here.  I  have  come 
back  to  live  at  Beech  Knoll.  It  is  to  be  my  home 
again." 

Roxana  and  Phyllis  remained  a  moment  in 
speechless  amazement ;  then,  "  Good,  good,  good  !  " 


A  PRICKED  BUBBLE.  17 

burst  from  Roxana.  She  shook  Miss  Redmond's 
hands  violently  in  her  excitement.  "  If  that  ain't 
like  a  fairy  story  come  true,  I  would  n't  say  so." 

"  It  does  sound  so,"  said  Miss  Redmond,  "  but  I 
can  give  you  my  little  history  since  I  left  Snowdon 
in  a  very  few  words,  and  then  you  will  understand. 
The  first  few  years  I  will  skip.  They  were  hard 
ones  for  me.  Then  I  received  word  that  my 
brother  had  married  Miss  Beckwith,  a  California 
heiress.  You  remember,  Roxana,  the  young  girl 
who  visited  us  that  summer,  during  the  first  Mrs. 
Richard's  lifetime  ?  Well,  that  was  the  girl.  Her 
father  died  suddenly,  she  was  recalled  from  school 
to  his  funeral,  and  in  her  loneliness  and  unhap- 
piness  she  married  my  brother.  They  went  to 
Europe,  and  in  a  few  months  I  was  sent  for,  as  he 
was  ill.  I  arrived  to  find  him  dead,  and  as  Mrs. 
Redmond  wished  me  to  remain  with  her,  I  did  so. 
We  traveled  for  three  years  abroad;  then  we  re- 
turned to  San  Francisco,  where  we  have  lived  until 
now.  My  sister-in-law  always  remembered  Beech 
Knoll  affectionately,  and  one  day  she  bought  it, 
and  then  nearly  took  my  breath  away  by  inform- 
ing me  of  it.  It  has  been  prepared  for  our  home, 
and  I  preceded  her  here  by  one  day  because  —  be- 
cause "  — 

The  speaker's  eyes  filled  with  tears.  Phyllis 
took  her  hand  with  shy  sympathy,  and  her  own 
heart  swelled.  She  even  forgot  that  the  situation 
was  not  far  from  being  romantic,  in  her  spontane- 
ous appreciation  of  Miss  Rebecca's  feelings. 


18  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Is  there  anybody  up  there  to  get  your  tea  ? " 
inquired  Roxana  practically.  "  To  go  into  that 
big  house  alone  is  kind  o'  forlorn." 

"There  are  servants  already  there,  thank  you, 
Roxana.  I  shall  be  very  comfortable,  and  to-mor- 
row I  shall  be  ready  to  welcome  Mrs.  Redmond, 
who  spends  to-night  in  Boston.  I  fear  she  has 
done  a  foolish  thing  to  choose  to  live  in  Snowdon, 
when  she  is  used  to  so  much  life  and  stir.  You 
must  come  and  see  her,  Phyllis.  She  is  nothing 
but  a  girl  herself,  poor  child  !  Well,  I  am  glad  to 
have  met  you  both.  I  am  sorry  you  had  to  give 
me  the  news  of  Mr.  Dunham's  death." 

"  We  've  got  a  new  man  we  like  first  rate,"  re- 
plied Roxana.  "  He 's  a  jewel,  now,  don't  you 
worry,"  for  Miss  Rebecca  was  shaking  her  head 
dejectedly. 

Phyllis  laughed.  "  If  Roxana  says  so,  you  must 
believe  her.  There  are  two  classes  of  men  for  her 
in  this  world.  Uncle  Doctor  and  Mr.  Terriss  form 
one,  the  rest  of  mankind  form  the  other  ;  and  the 
less  said  about  the  latter  class  the  better." 

"  Good-by,  good-by,"  said  Miss  Redmond  hastily. 
"  It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  we  shall  meet  again 
soon,"  and,  giving  a  parting  nod,  she  walked  away 
with  the  erect,  prim  air  which  all  the  soft  breezes 
of  the  Riviera  had  been  powerless  to  ameliorate. 

Phyllis  pouted. a  little  and  raised  her  eyebrows. 
Her  bubble  had  burst  strangely.  There  was  to  be 
no  more  excitement,  no  more  long-drawn-out  won- 
der and  speculation. 


A  PRICKED   BUBBLE.  19 

"  After  all,"  she  said,  as  she  and  her  companion 
moved  on  their  way,  "  it  only  means  two  more 
women  added  to  the  nunnery." 

"  Phyllis,"  said  Roxana,  her  plain  face  beaming, 
"  you  have  n't  built  one  casue  in  the  air  that  was 
near  as  good  as  the  truth.  Miss  Rebecca  in  calico, 
or  Miss  Rebecca  in  silk,  is  just  the  person  we  want 
in  Snowdon ;  and  now  you  won't  have  any  more 
cause  to  complain  that  you  can't  see  as  much  o' 
Beech  Knoll  as  you  want  to.  After  all,  you've 
got  the  first  invitation  there  of  anybody  in  town. 
I  wonder,"  she  added,  with  a  humorous  recollec- 
tion of  the  acquaintance  who  had  fallen  a  victim  to 
Jake  Harvey's  joke,  "  I  wonder  if  Miss  Jones  will 
get  to  Boston  before  she  stops." 


CHAPTER  III. 

UNDER   THE   EAVES. 

REBECCA  REDMOND  hastened  along  her  road 
with  a  new  agitation  at  her  heart.  This  meeting 
with  old  friends  had  stirred  her  more  deeply  than 
she  liked.  All  the  way  out  from  Boston  in  the 
train,  she  had  been  preaching  herself  an  edify- 
ing little  sermon.  The  subject  was  unselfishness. 
"  Elise  meant  well  in  buying  Beech  Knoll,"  so 
Miss  Redmond  reasoned  with  her  rebellious  heart. 
"  Now,  let  me  not  disturb  her  happiness  by  any 
nonsense  or  vapors.  I  am  through  with  emotions 
by  this  time,  I  should  hope.  It  is  absurd  to  nurse 
old  associations  in  a  way  to  annoy  other  people. 
There  is  no  one  left  with  whom  I  can  share  those 
old  associations.  Let  them  drop,  Rebecca,  bury 
them.  Take  care  of  Elise.  Make  her  happy. 
What  if  you  are  going  to  see  the  river,  and  the 
old  bridge,  and  the  willow-tree,  you  absurd  little 
woman  ?  You  can  never  suffer  again  as  you  suf- 
fered on  the  old  bridge  that  summer  evening,  and 
I  hope  you  don't  want  to,  do  you  ?  You  're  glad 
it  is  all  over,  are  n't  you  ?  Then,  for  pity's  sake, 
don't  think  any  more  about  it." 

Thus,  over  and  over,  and  with  variations,  Miss 
Redmond  talked  herself  into  what  she  felt  to  be  a 


UNDER    THE  EAVES.  21 

wholesome  frame  of  mind.  It  lasted,  scarcely  dis- 
turbed, until  the  fresh  lips  of  the  young  girl  pro- 
nounced the  name  Rebecca  shrank  to-day  from 
hearing. 

"  Terriss,  Terriss !  "  The  name  echoed  in  her 
ears  as  she  hurried  along,  instinctively  trying  to 
flee  from  it.  "  Done  with,  a  lifetime  ago,"  she 
murmured  ;  and  then  the  walls  of  her  old  home 
broke  upon  her  view. 

"  Dear  old  place.  Well,  well,  how  smart  it 
looks,  I  declare,"  she  thought,  hurrying  on  toward 
the  gateway. 

A  gardener  was  spading  earth  in  a  border.  At 
sight  of  her  he  came  forward  and  touched  his  hat 
respectfully. 

"Mrs.  Redmond,  ma'am?" 

"  Miss  Redmond,"  she  answered,  a  little  tremble 
in  her  voice. 

"  I  hope  you  find  the  place  looking  well,  ma'am  ?  " 

"Extremely  well,"  she  answered,  with  a  smile, 
passing  on  toward  the  house. 

She  glanced  askance  at  the  piazzas  as  she  as- 
cended the  steps,  with  an  odd  fancy  that  the  house 
was  aware  of  its  finery  and  rather  enjoyed  it. 

She  rang  the  bell,  and  a  trim  maid  appeared, 
who  looked  at  her  expectantly. 

"  I  am  Miss  Redmond,"  she  said  pleasantly. 
"  I  presume  my  baggage  has  arrived." 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  it  is  upstairs." 

"  Very  well.  You  may  leave  me  to  myself.  I 
will  sit  down  awhile  before  going  up." 


22  THE  MISTRESS   OF  SEECH  KNOLL. 

When  she  was  left  alone,  she  passed  into  the 
broad  old  parlor.  Nothing  here  to  remind  her  of 
bygone  days  ;  everything  dainty  and  luxurious  ! 
She  sat  down  in  one  of  the  deep  chairs  and  looked 
about  her.  The  room,  despite  its  freshness,  had 
not  the  comfortless  appearance  of  never  having 
been  lived  in. 

The  piano  was  open.  A  tall  lamp  stood  near  it, 
as  though  its  light  might,  on  the  previous  evening, 
have  illumined  the  open  sheet  of  music  that  lay  on 
the  rack. 

She  continued  to  look  about  her  like  one  in  a 
dream  ;  but  the  utter  transformation  of  the  rooms 
strengthened  her  courage. 

"  Elise  is  a  Monte  Cristo  on  a  small  scale,"  she 
said  to  herself,  "and  I  might  be  in  England  so 
far  as  any  familiarity  goes.  This  is  not  hard  to 
bear." 

She  rose  and  went  back  into  the  hall  and  up 
the  thickly-carpeted  stairs.  From  one  room  to 
another  she  went :  first  to  her  father's,  then  to 
Mary's,  then  to  the  once  shabby  spare  chamber, 
then  to  her  own  old  bedroom.  Everywhere  the 
luxury  was  so  complete  —  walls,  ceilings,  wood- 
work, so  changed  —  that  she  looked  on  each  ob- 
ject with  a  dazed  sort  of  wonder.  As  Miss  Jones 
had  assured  Roxana,  the  many-paned  sashes  had 
been  removed  from  the  windows,  and  sheets  of 
plate  glass  substituted. 

"  One  can  see  the  river  better,"  thought  Re- 
becca, wondering  if  it  were  really  here  that  she 


UNDER    THE  EAVES.  23 

used  to  stand  and  observe  the  comical  distortions 
into  which  the  landscape  was  twisted  in  spots  by 
the  imperfections  of  the  glass. 

But  looking  out  of  the  window  was  dangerous 
to  that  calm  which  Miss  Redmond  was  priding 
herself  upon  preserving.  She  went  into  the  cor- 
ridor, and  her  glance  fell  upon  the  sole-leather 
trunk  which  Eiise  had  given  her. 

"  Which  is  my  room  ?  "  she  mused.  "  It  is 
plain  to  see  which  is  Elise's."  She  cast  a  look 
toward  the  front  of  the  house,  where  a  door  stood 
open  into  what  had  been  used  by  her  father  for  a 
writing-room.  She  wondered  what  would  be  his 
sensations  could  he  see  its  present  fittings  of  pale 
green,  white,  and  silver. 

She  moved  to  the  stairs  that  led  into  the  attic. 
"  Perhaps  there  is  a  billiard-room  up  there,"  she 
thought.  "  At  any  rate,  I  might  as  well  see  the 
whole." 

She  went  up,  and  paused  at  the  top  to  accustom 
her  eyes  to  the  half  light.  She  perceived  at  once 
that  there  was  a  mass  of  furniture  crowded  to- 
gether under  the  eaves.  She  came  nearer,  and  all 
at  once  her  heart,  which  had  been  so  agreeably 
calm,  gave  a  great  start.  Color  flew  into  her  deli- 
cate cheeks.  Here,  huddled  in  the  silence  and  the 
twilight,  stood  the  old,  familiar  objects.  Here  was 
the  narrow  mirror  that  had  reflected  her  bright 
eyes  while  she  thought  of  Philip  Terriss,  and  be- 
low it  the  bureau  drawers  that  had  held  her  girlish 
finery.  There  was  her  father's  writing-table,  the 


24      THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

old  sofa  that  had  so  often  supported  Mary's  frail 
body,  and  the  faded  rocker  which  always  used  to 
stand  in  the  warm  corner  by  the  stove.  To  her, 
each  piece  of  the  worthless  lumber  had  all  the 
pathos  of  a  forgotten  exile.  Instantly,  came  a  se- 
vere reaction  from  her  strained  cheerfulness.  An 
agony  of  homesickness  and  compassionate  longing 
swept  through  her.  She  fell  into  her  father's 
rusty,  rubbed  old  leathern  armchair,  clasped  her 
arms  about  its  unyielding  back,  and  burst  into  the 
saddest  tears  she  had  ever  shed. 

"  Dear  old  friends,"  she  sobbed,  "  I  have  come 
back.  Oh,  do  you  know  me  ?  Don't  you  care  a 
little  —  a  little  ?  " 

For  a  long  time  she  wept  in  the  silence,  and  the 
pathos  of  her  solitariness  became  lessened  in  this 
companionship.  She  laid  her  cheek  lovingly 
against  the  worn  spot  where  her  father's  head  had 
rested  for  so  many  years,  and  patted  the  unre- 
sponsive arm.  "  We  are  old,  old,"  she  murmured. 
"  New  times,  new  people,  new  fashions." 

She  lay  musing  in  the  chair  for  some  time 
longer  ;  then,  inspired  by  a  sudden  idea,  she  rose 
and  moved  to  an  unpainted  door,  which  she  opened. 
It  led  into  a  plastered  room  which  had  been  fin- 
ished long  ago,  when  guests  had  not  been  a  rarity 
at  Beech  Knoll,  and  an  extra  chamber  had  been  in 
demand. 

Into  this  room  she  drew  several  of  the  old  chairs 
and  the  sofa.  Next  came  the  tall,  narrow  bureau. 
She  looked  in  vain  for  a  bedstead.  Evidently  the 


UNDER  THE  EAVES.  25 

old  bedsteads  had  been  too  cumbrous  to  carry  up 
the  steep  attic  stairs,  and  had  been  disposed  of. 

She  sighed.  "  Well,  if  it  cannot  be  a  bedroom 
it  shall  be  a  sitting-room.  Up  here  I  will  have  a 
little  bit  of  the  old  life." 

The  twilight  deepened.  Miss  Redmond  be- 
thought herself  that  she  might  already  have  giver 
cause  for  comment  to  the  servants,  and  gently 
shutting  the  door  of  her  treasure-chamber,  she 
hastened  downstairs,  meeting  in  the  hallway  the 
white-capped  maid,  who,  she  imagined,  looked  at 
her  curiously. 

"  I  came  up  because  I  heard  strange  sounds  in 
the  garret,  Miss  Redmond.  I  did  not  know  you 
were  up  there.  The  cook  wished  me  to  say  that 
dinner  is  ready." 

"I  will  be  down  directly.  I  must  wash  my 
hands  first,"  said  Rebecca.  She  hesitated  a  mo- 
ment$  then,  from  the  necessity  of  making  a  choice, 
entered  the  smallest  of  the  bedrooms  on  that  floor. 
It  was  the  one  that  had  been  Mary's.  The  maid 
followed  with  the  satchel,  which  had  been  resting 
on  the  trunk,  and  then  went  noiselessly  away. 

Rebecca  bathed  her  face  and  hands,  and  smiled 
a  little,  as  she  smoothed  her  hair  before  the  broad, 
beveled  mirror  of  the  perfectly-appointed  dressing- 
case.  She  was  thinking  tenderly  of  the  meagre 
and  worn  old  objects  shut  away  upstairs  in  what 
seemed  like  another  world,  and  she  smiled  for 
enjoyment  of  a  possession  which  she  was  sure  no 
one  would  dispute  with  her. 


26  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  It  was  a  very  good  plan  for  the  foolish  little 
Ionian  to  come  out  here  alone  and  get  over  the 
first  tears  and  sighs,"  she  thought,  as  she  sat  at 
her  solitary  meal.  The  exquisite  linen  and  delicate 
table  service  did  not  strike  her  as  novel.  Rebecca 
had  grown  accustomed  to  luxurious  living  in  the 
few  years  past.  It  had  seemed  very  wonderful,  at 
first,  to  leave  the  life  of  hard  work  and  scanty  pay, 
and  to  commence  an  utterly  new  existence ;  but 
her  young  sister  needed  her  and  wanted  her,  and 
she  found  that  Richard  had  left  to  herself  the  lit- 
tle he  had,  enough  to  give  her  a  feeling  of  inde- 
pendence ;  so  she  did  not  scruple  to  follow  Elise's 
fortunes,  indeed,  she  could  not  conscientiously 
leave  the  young  widow ;  and  now  the  latter's  vaga- 
ries had  brought  her  back  to  the  old  dining-room, 
transformed,  like  her  own  life.  Yes,  she  had  done 
well  to  come  and  pass  one  night  here  alone.  There 
was  a  dull  pain  and  longing  at  her  heart,  which 
would  not  be  stifled  by  all  her  cheerfulness  and 
determined  admiration.  To-morrow,  all  would  be 
better. 

When  to-morrow  came,  she  told  herself  that  all 
was  better.  She  allowed  herself  to  think  of  noth- 
ing but  the  impression  Elise's  purchase  would 
make  upon  her,  and  she  spent  the  morning  in 
unpacking  and  finding  homes  for  her  own  effects, 
while  marveling  anew  at  the  completeness  of  every 
room,  the  details  of  which  Mrs.  Redmond  had 
found  means  to  superintend,  even  from  the  other 
side  of  the  continent. 


UNDER   THE  EAVES.  27 

The  new  lady  of  Beech  Knoll  was  capricious, 
and,  knowing  her  to  be  capricious,  it  did  not  as- 
tonish Rebecca  to  see  her,  about  noon,  enter  the 
grounds  in  a  buggy  driven  by  a  strange,  middle- 
aged  man.  As  they  approached,  she  could  see 
that  Mrs.  Redmond  was  chatting  with  him,  or 
rather  to  him,  in  a  vivacious  manner,  and  she 
drew  back  a  little  from  the  window,  thinking  that 
it  might  be  the  stranger  would  come  in. 

No.  Elise  stood  a  moment  on  the  step  and 
spoke  some  last  words  to  him,  then  he  raised  his 
hat  and  drove  away. 

Miss  Redmond  hurried  to  the  door  and  opened 
it.  "  Welcome  home  !  "  she  said  cheerily. 

The  young  woman  who  had  so  unconsciously 
stirred  Snowdon  to  its  depths  looked  not  about  at 
her  new  purchase,  nor  spoke  a  word.  She  stood 
for  a  moment  looking  straight  into  her  sister-in- 
law's  calm  eyes,  with  a  penetrating  gaze  most  dis- 
concerting to  sustain.  She  was  a  glorious  speci- 
men of  womanhood,  tall,  straight,  and  graceful, 
with  a  glow  of  health  upon  her  face,  and  pleasant, 
blue-gray  eyes,  which,  with  her  bronze  hair,  rough 
from  curliness,  seemed  to  express  the  force  and 
vitality  which  formed  such  a  contrast  to  the  pale, 
slight  woman  before  her. 

"  You  do  welcome  me  ;  you  are  a  good  little 
woman,"  she  said,  stepping  over  the  threshold, 
catching  Miss  Rebecca  in  her  arras,  and  kissing 
her. 

"It  is   all  beautiful,  Elise,"  began   Miss  Red- 


28  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

mond  nervously,  a  little  perplexed  by  her  sister's 
strange  manner. 

"  I  dare  say.  I  will  look  at  it  in  a  minute. 
First,  Rebecca  Redmond,  sometimes  familiarly 
known  as  Sister  Bee,  I  have  a  confession  to 
make." 

Miss  Rebecca  looked  up  into  the  brilliant  face 
which  smiled  down  at  her,  and  then  her  glance 
dropped  to  her  imprisoned  hands. 

"  I  waked  up  this  morning  feeling  small,  hum- 
ble, mean.  I  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  felt 
so  before,  and  it  is  not  a  pleasant  sensation." 

"  What  has  happened  ?  "  Miss  Redmond  looked 
up. 

"  I  have  been  stupid  beyond  compare ;  selfish, 
absorbed  in  my  own  plans,  blundering  along,  re- 
gardless and  forgetful  of  your  feelings  until  last 
evening.  Then,  it  suddenly  dawned  upon  me  why 
you  wished  to  come  out  here  alone.  It  suddenly 
came  to  me  how  dense  and  indelicate  I  have  been. 

0  Rebecca,  I  am  so  ashamed!     Don't  speak  yet. 

1  am  always  headlong  about  everything.     I  have 
always  loved  Beech  Knoll.     The  happiest  weeks 
of  my  childhood  were    those  I  spent  here.     One 
reason  I  married  Mr.  Redmond,  when  he  was  so 
kind  as  to  wish  to  take  charge  of  me  and  my  cares, 
was   because   he   was  associated    with  this  place. 
When  I  decided  that  I  must  spend  some  time  in 
or  near  Boston,  I  grasped  at  the  idea  of  buying 
Beech  Knoll.     I  thought  it  would  be  such  a  pleas- 
ant surprise  for  you.     Yes,  I  am    ashamed  of  it 


UNDER  THE  EAVES.  29 

now,  but  I  really  did.  I  took  pains  that  it  should 
not  be  known  here  who  had  bought  the  place,  for 
fear  some  of  your  old  acquaintances  might  write 
you  and  spoil  my  surprise.  Fancy  that !  Then, 
knowing  that  a  poor  sort  of  people  had  lived  here 
of  late,  I  proceeded  to  have  the  place  made  habita- 
ble ;  then  I  brought  my  precious  news  to  you.  Oh, 
how  well  you  received  it,  you  brave  little  dear !  "  — 
a  hearty  kiss  here  on  Miss  Redmond's  thin  cheek. 
?'  How  kind  and  good  you  have  been  to  me  !  It 
needed  your  timid  little  request  to  come  out  and 
get  things  ready  for  me  to  take  the  scales  from 
my  eyes.  Now,  first,  I  wish  to  apologize  for  all  I 
have  made  you  suffer,  and  then  I  wish  to  beg 
you,  earnestly  and  sincerely,  not  to  stay  here  with 
me.  You  have  sacrificed  yourself  to  me  so  much 
and  so  long,  I  refuse  to  be  selfish  any  longer." 

There  was  a  little  flush  on  Miss  Redmond's 
face.  "  How  like  you,  Elise,  to  ignore  all  you  have 
done  for  me,"  she  returned.  "  Do  you  wish  me  to 
leave  you  here  ?  " 

"  When  you  know  I  am  being  unselfish  for  once, 
why  do  you  ask  me  that?"  was  the  rather  exas- 
perated reply. 

"  Then,  if  you  please,  I  won't  leave  you." 

"  And  you  will  forgive  me  for  being  dull  and 
arrogant  ?  " 

Rebecca  smiled.     "  My  child !  " 

"  It  comes  from  my  having  had  no  home  but 
schools  all  my  childhood  and  girlhood.  Does  it 
not?"  asked  Elise  anxiously 


30  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  The  good  things  of  life  were  to  come  to  you 
later.  Come  and  look  at  the  result  of  all  your 
brain  work." 

Mrs.  Redmond  continued  to  look,  not  at  her  new 
home,  but  into  her  sister-in-law's  face. 

"  We  can  sell  it,"  she  said  doubtfully. 

Miss  Redmond  laughed.  Nothing  could  so  have 
banished  her  lingering  pain  as  this  contrition  in 
the  girl  she  had  learned  to  love  dearly. 

"  Let  us  not  sell  it,"  she  said,  "  until  you  have 
tired  of  it.  You  will  weary  of  living  here  before 
I  shall." 

Elise  kissed  her  again  impulsively.  "I  am  a 
lucky  woman !  "  she  exclaimed  ;  then  she  slid  an 
arm  around  Miss  Rebecca,  and  together  they 
crossed  the  broad  hall  and  entered  the  parlor. 

"  Is  it  not  strange,"  she  said  gravely,  "  that  this 
is  the  first  home  I  ever  had?"  She  looked  all 
about.  Even  her  precious  pictures  were  safe  and 
well  hung. 

"  Those  people  have  done  well,"  she  said.  She 
had  glanced  into  every  room  in  the  house  before, 
finally,  in  her  own,  she  laid  off  the  hat  and  jacket 
she  had  worn  since  her  arrival. 

"  I  can  hardly  realize  that  we  are  going  to  stay," 
she  said  then.  "  We  have  been  birds  of  passage 
for  so  long.  I  trust  you  do  not  feel  that  you  are 
spoiled  for  a  domestic  life,  Rebecca.  I  Was  saying 
to  the  minister,  as  we  came  along,  that  I  expected 
to  learn  all  the  domestic  virtues  from  you  now." 

"  So  that  was  the  minister  ?  "  said  Rebecca. 


UNDER    THE   EAVES.  31 

"  Yes.  When  I  reached  Snowdon,  there  was  no 
conveyance  at  hand,  and  this  gentleman,  happen- 
ing to  see  my  dilemma,  offered  to  bring  me  to 
Beech  Knoll.  His  name  interested  me  at  once. 
It  is  Terriss,  and  while  I  am  waiting  for  my  lug- 
gage will  be  a  good  time  to  tell  you  why  that  name 
interests  me." 

Poor  Rebecca  nodded.  So  long  as  she  was  not 
required  to  tell  why  that  name  interested  her,  she 
was  willing  to  listen  to  any  disclosures. 

Elise  seated  herself  near  her.  "  When  I  was 
quite  young,"  she  began,  "  my  father  adopted  an 
orphan  boy,  whose  parents  he  had  known  in  their 
lifetime.  As  you  know,  I  was  very  little  with  my 
father,  but  his  letters  never  failed  to  mention 
Terriss,  and  were  always  so  full  of  interest  in  the 
boy's  abilities  and  progress  that  I  wonder  I  was 
never  jealous  of  him.  We  knew  one  another  but 
very  little.  I  remember  him  as  a  singularly  non- 
chalant, indifferent  sort  of  boy,  but,  separated  as 
we  always  were,  it  is  little  wonder  that  we  were 
not  attached  to  one  another,  as  adopted  brothers 
and  sisters  ordinarily  are.  The  last  year  or  two 
of  my  father's  life,  he,  who  had  always  been  an 
absorbed  business  man  devoted  <;o  his  numerous 
financial  interests,  seemed  to  become  more  en- 
grossed than  ever.  His  letters  were  fewer,  and 
now  they  ceased  to  mention  Terriss  Chester.  I 
thought  little  of  that,  for  I  had  learned  to  take  it 
as  a  matter  of  course  that  I  should  not  have  my 
father's  confidence."  Mrs.  Redmond  sighed.  "  My 


32  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

father  gave  me  what  he  believed  to  be  every  possi- 
ble advantage,  thinking  —  or  at  least  I  always  hope 
that  was  his  idea  —  that  when  I  had  completed  my 
studies,  we  should  become  acquainted  and  enjoy 
one  another.  That  was  not  to  be  ;  and  when  his 
sudden  death  recalled  me,  I  had  a  secondary  shock 
to  sustain  in  finding  that  Terriss  had  disappeared, 
no  one  could  tell  me  why  or  whither.  It  was 
known  that  he  and  my  father  had  quarreled  and 
parted.  That  was  all.  I  did  not  realize  how  seri- 
ous was  the  trouble  until  my  father's  will  was  read, 
and  I  was  discovered  to  be  his  sole  heir. 

"  I  was  greatly  surprised  and  troubled.  As  soon 
as  Mr.  Redmond  came  to  me,  I  told  him  all  the 
circumstances,  and  begged  his  help  in  discovering 
Terriss  and  trying  to  assist  him,  even  if  I  should 
not  be  able  to  persuade  him  to  accept  what  I  could 
not  help  feeling  was  his  share  of  the  property. 
Mr.  Redmond  dissuaded  me  from  the  step  very 
earnestly.  He  represented  that  a  young  man  who 
could  have  forfeited  the  affection  of  so  devoted  a 
guardian  had  better  be  left  to  follow  the  path  he 
had  chosen.  He  reminded  me  that  I  was  a  very 
young  woman,  not  fit,  perhaps,  to  judge  of  the 
fault  of  which  ^rriss  had  been  guilty,  and  that  it 
would  be  very  indiscreet  in  me  to  look  into  a  case 
which  my  father  had  had  all  opportunity  for  un- 
derstanding, and  of  which  he  had  left  so  decided  a 
proof  of  his  condemnation.  In  short,  your  brother 
made  me  feel  ashamed  of  what  he  termed  my  quix- 
otism, and  I  yielded  to  his  persuasions,  and  let  the 


UNDER    THE  EAV1.S.  33 

matter  drop  ;  but  the  subject  would  not  drop  me. 
Every  morning  and  every  night,  I  would  think  of 
the  disappointment  that  came  to  that  proud,  care- 
less boy,  who  had  been  taught  to  expect  a  brilliant 
future,  and  I  would  wonder  whether  my  inertia  in 
the  matter  was  right.  Whatever  Terriss  was,  he 
might,  doubtless,  become  worse.  Why  was  it  not 
my  duty  to  find  him  and  see  if  iny  influence  could 
be  of  use  to  him  in  any  direction  ? 

"  Nearly  six  months  ago,  I  heard  that  Terriss 
Chester  was  in  Boston,  and  I  determined  at  once 
to  buy  Beech  Knoll.  All  sorts  of  fancies  floated 
through  my  head  of  possible  reconciliations  and 
righting  of  wrongs,  for  I  cannot  get  away  from  the 
suspicion  that  Terriss  suffered  a  wrong."  Elise's 
brow  contracted.  "  I  know  that  my  poor  father 
was  hasty  and  hot  tempered.  If  I  could  once  be 
certain  that  he  did  not  wrong  the  boy  by  disin- 
heriting him,  I  could  let  the  matter  drop  gladly ; 
for  it  is  not  in  the  nature  of  things  that  I  could 
feel  an  attachment  to  him.  We  were  complete 
strangers  even  before  the  trouble  came." 

"  Well,  Elise,"  said  Miss  Redmond,  "  is  that  at 
the  bottom  of  this  experiment?" 

"  Not  quite,"  returned  the  other,  with  an  arch 
smile.  "  I  have  always  secretly  yearned  for  Beech 
Knoll.  I  only  needed  something  to  decide  me." 

Miss  Rebecca  shook  her  head.  "  Your  life  has 
been  like  a  butterfly's,  Elise,  and  there  is  no  arti- 
ficial sunshine  here  in  winter  to  warm  you.  I  fear 
you  will  not  survive  one  season." 


34  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Mrs.  Redmond's  cheeks  flushed.  "  Perhaps  I 
do  not  like  to  be  a  butterfly,"  she  replied.  "I 
wanted  a  home  and  something  to  do.  I  wanted 
this  home,  and  I  believed  my  work  lay  here." 

Rebecca  felt  inclined  to  smile,  but  she  refrained. 
She  saw  that  her  sister  was  deeply  in  earnest. 

"  I  think  you  are  perfectly  right  to  search  for 
this  young  man,"  she  said.  "  I  do  not  see  how 
a  woman  of  heart  could  do  otherwise.  Perhaps 
Richard's  advice  to  you  was  wise,  but  I  cannot  see 
it  so." 

"  I  am  so  glad  that  is  your  feeling,"  returned 
Elise,  pleased  and  surprised.  "  Frankly,  I  feared 
it  would  not  be,  else  I  should  have  told  you  my 
determination  before  we  left  California.  I  had 
decided  not  to  be  dissuaded,  and  so  concluded  not 
to  touch  the  subject  until  circumstances  made  it 
necessary.  I  should  not  have  spoken  to-day,  but 
that  I  was  eager  to  have  you  know  that  I  had  some 
slight  excuse  for  my  selfish  absorption  and  forge  t- 
fulness  of  you ;  and  you  have  forgiven  me,  have 
you  not?" 

"  Fully,"  said  Rebecca. 

"  So  now  I  am  really  very  happy  and  hopeful," 
continued  Elise,  rising  and  moving  to  the  window. 
"  To  think  that  in  a  few  months  we  shall  see  the 
charming  autumn  foliage,  and  then  will  come  one 
of  the  New  England  snowstorms,  such  as  I  have 
not  seen  for  years." 

"  Yes,  that  is  one  thing  you  can  look  for  confi- 
dently," returned  Miss  Redmond. 


UNDER   THE  EAVES.  35 

Her  sister  drew  a  hand  slowly  over  the  soft, 
silken  window  drapery.  "  You  believe  in  Provi- 
dence implicitly,  even  in  the  smallest  details  of  life, 
I  believe,"  she  said  abruptly. 

"  I  do,"  replied  Rebecca  quietly. 

"  I  should  like  to  believe  whatever  you  do,"  con- 
tinued Elise,  "  since  one  is  to  judge  of  another 
by  the  fruits  of  his  life.  It  seems  to  me  —  yet  I 
thought  myself  perhaps  superstitious  for  thinking 
so  —  that  Providence  showed  approval  of  my  plans 
in  sending  that  Mr.  Terriss  to  the  station  to  bring 
me  home." 

"Yes?" 

"  What  is  very  unusual  for  me,  I  felt  a  singular 
attraction  toward  the  man.  I  should  not  have 
guessed  he  was  a  minister.  His  dress  was  not  con- 
ventional, and  he  has  no  mannerism  of  speech.  I 
like  him.  I  cannot  say  why.  I  felt  glad  at  once 
that  he  lived  in  Snowdon,  even  before  I  knew  his 
name  or  profession.  Well,  I  really  am  in  a  quan- 
dary as  to  how  to  commence  operations.  What 
should  you  say  to  my  taking  Mr.  Terriss'  name 
as  my  excuse,  and  going  to  him  with  my  story, 
and  asking  his  advice  ?  Should  you  consider  that 
'  following  the  leadings  '  ?  " 

Miss  Rebecca  reflected.  "  Perhaps,"  she  re- 
plied. "  But  why  not  write  this  boy  a  frank  let- 
ter, and  ask  him  to  call  upon  you,  or  to  appoint  a 
place  where  you  can  meet ;  then  I  can  go  with 
you  to  see  him."' 

"  I  have  not  his  address,  in  the  first  place.     In 


36  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

the  second  place,  he  is  not  a  boy  any  longer,  you 
know.  He  may  be  a  great,  gruff,  black-bearded 
ruffian,  for  all  I  know  to  the  contrary." 

"  Oh,  misery !  "  ejaculated  gentle  Miss  Rebecca, 
much  disconcerted.  "  I  see  you  have  thought  a 
great  deal  about  this,  my  dear.  I  wish  I  could 
help  you,  but  I  'm  afraid,  if  he  should  really  turn 
out  to  be  very  big  and  at  all  ugly,  I  might  not  be 
of  so  much  assistance  as  this  Mr.  —  this  minister 
you  have  met.  He  did  not  look  like  a  minister,  I 
must  say,  but  Phyllis  told  me  that  was  the  new 
man's  name,  so  I  suppose  it  is  all  right." 

"  Oh,  yes,  it  is  all  right,  I  am  sure.  His  eyes 
settled  that  for  me  at  once.  Who  is  Phyllis  ?  " 

"A  girl  whom  I  left  here  almo?  a  baby  ten 
years  ago.  I  met  her,  grown  up,  on  the  street 
yesterday.  She  said  Mr.  —  the  minister  was  a 
jewel,  or  else  Roxana  did,"  Miss  Redmond  was 
becoming  rather  fluttered  and  red -cheeked.  "  I 
think  there  could  be  no  harm  in  going  to  him  for 
his  advice.  The  coincidence  of  names  certainly 
would  suggest  the  thought,  even  if  he  were  not 
going  to  be  your  minister." 

Elise  gave  a  little  laugh.  "  That  speech  gives 
me  a  realizing  sense  that  I  have  a  local  habitation 
at  last.  My  minister !  Yes,  Mr.  Terriss  gives 
one  the  feeling  that  he  is  thoroughly  human  and 
companionable.  I  like  the  idea  that  he  is  my  min- 
ister. If  he  has  anything  to  teach  me,  I  shall  like 
to  learn  of  him.  At  any  rate,  I  will  go  to  him  to- 
morrow." 


UNDER   THE  EAVES.  37 

"  Not  wait  for  him  to  call  first  ?  "  exclaimed 
Miss  Rebecca  deprecatiugly. 

"  No,  not  wait  for  anything.  And  you  are  com- 
ing with  me,  poor  little  Rebecca ;  you  must  come 
with  me.  You  are  the  oldest  resident,  after  all. 
He  has  only  been  here  a  year.  You  ought  to  call 
on  his  wife." 

"  Has  he  a  wife  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  so.  Ministers  always  do  have,  I  be- 
lieve, and  more  particularly  naughty  children  than 
they  are  able  to  support." 

"  Tut,  tut,  Elise !  "  returned  Miss  Redmond. 

"  You  will  come  with  me,  children  or  no  chil- 
dren, won't  you  ?  " 

'  "  I  shall  always  go  with  you,  Elise,  whenever 
you  want  me,"  replied  Miss  Rebecca,  with  a  little, 
unconscious  sigh. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ONCE   AGAIN. 

EARLY  on  the  following  afternoon,  Rebecca  es- 
corted Elise  to  the  old  parsonage. 

To  Miss  Redmond's  surprise,  in  response  to  her 
ring  the  door  was  opened  by  Mrs.  Sherritt. 

"  Why,  Miss  Rebecca,  this  is  good  and  neigh- 
borly of  you,  and  no  mistake,"  exclaimed  the  latter, 
in  a  gratified  tone ;  "  but  it  is  exactly  like  you, 
and  I  might  have  expected  it.  Mrs.  Terriss,  poor 
woman,  never  bein'  able  to  leave  the  house,  folks 
must  6ome  to  her ;  but  how  did  you  find  out  so 
quick?" 

"  I  did  not,  Roxana,  —  I  did  not  know  about 
Mrs.  Terriss.  This  is  Mrs.  Redmond,  my  sister ; 
and,  Elise,  perhaps  you  remember  Mrs.  Sherritt, 
Dr.  Joy's  housekeeper,  and  my  good  neighbor 
always." 

Roxana  nodded  in  rather  a  cautious  way,  and 
gave  Elise's  cordial  hand  the  loose  shake  of  the 
uncultured. 

"  I  do  not  remember  Mrs.  Sherritt,"  said  Mrs. 
Redmond,  smiling  pleasantly  as  she  entered  the 
corridor. 

"  I  am  so  glad  you  happened  to  be  here,  Rox- 
ana," pursued  Miss  Rebecca  anxiously,  "for  Mrs. 


ONCE  AGAIN.  39 

Redmond  wishes  to  see  Mr.  Terriss  on  business, 
and  you  will  know  whether  it  would  disturb  him 
just  now." 

"I  guess  not,"  replied  Roxana,  closing  the  door 
behind  them.  "  Come  into  the  parlor  and  wait  a 
minute,  and  don't  let  on,  please,  Miss  Rebecca," 
she  added,  lowering  her  voice,  "  that  you  did  n't  lay 
out  to  see  Mrs.  Terriss,  for  it  '11  chirk  her  up  and 
please  her  mightily  to  think  you  cared  to  come. 
Time  hangs  heavy  with  her  sometimes.  It 's  natural 
it  should,  you  know." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Mrs.  Redmond,  "  Mr.  Terriss 
would  be  so  kind  as  to  let  me  come  to  his  study.  " 

"  I  '11  see  in  a  minute,"  returned  Mrs.  Sherritt 
shortly. 

She  was  divided  between  gratitude  to  Elise  for 
restoring  Miss  Rebecca  to  Snowdon,  and  a  jealous 
dislike  of  her  for  being  so  far  more  beautiful, 
strong,  and  happy  than  the  gentle,  feeble  Mrs. 
Richard  of  past  years. 

"  She 's  dreadful  afraid  some  time  '11  be  wasted 
neighboring  at  any  rate,"  she  thought,  with  some 
resentment,  as  she  showed  the  visitors  into  the 
parlor,  and  then  withdrew. 

Rebecca  looked  sadly  about  her.  Here  was  the 
same  shabby  carpet  grown  shabbier,  the  same  dis- 
mal haircloth  sofa  and  chairs,  the  same  cold,  small, 
marble  table  that  she  remembered.  She  looked, 
beyond,  where  the  door  was  ajar  that  led  into  the 
sitting-room,  where  Mr.  Dunham,  her  old  pastor, 
used  to  sit  every  evening  in  solitary  contentment. 


40  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Mr.  Dunham  Aad  been  a  widower,  whose  married 
children  lived  far  away,  and  no  feminine  touch 
ever  beautified  the  living-rooms  of  the  old  house 
where  he  dwelt  among  his  books.  Rebecca  quite 
longed  to  pass  into  the  next  room  so  full  of  pleas- 
ant association,  and  see  if  it  too  had  the  same  air 
as  of  old. 

While  she  was  absorbed  in  reminiscence,  Roxana 
returned. 

"  Mr.  Terriss  would  like  to  have  you  come  up, 
Mrs.  Redmond.  You  wait  one  minute,  Miss  Re- 
becca, till  I  show  her  the.  way."  Elise  followed 
her  guide,  and  in  a  few  minutes  Mrs.  Sherritt 
returned. 

"  Now,  then,  Miss  Rebecca,  this  way,  please," 
she  said,  her  face  beaming  with  satisfaction  as  she 
threw  wide  the  door  through  which  Miss  Redmond 
had  been  casting  wistful  glances. 

Rebecca  followed,  and  paused,  surprised  at  the 
metamorphosis  of  the  room  she  remembered  so 
bare  and  poor. 

A  cheerful  carpet  of  shades  of  brown  and  gold, 
a  fire  in  an  open  stove,  light  furniture,  and  plenty 
of  sunshine  made  a  picture  totally  unfamiliar  to 
the  visitor.  In  the  window  stood  an  invalid  chair, 
and  in  it  sat  a  pale,  eager-faced  woman,  whose 
piercing  gaze  people  always  found  disconcerting 
until  it  became  familiar.  Mrs.  Terriss  had  the 
combination,  always  striking,  of  flaxen  hair  and 
black  eyes  and  brows,  and  these  eyes,  large  and 
bright,  seemed  ever  searching,  ever  questioning. 


ONCE  AGAIN.  41 

"Why  is  she  not  beautiful?"  was  Rebecca's 
first,  involuntary  thought. 

Roxana  turned  to  her  with  a  smile. 

"  This  is  Miss  Redmond,  Mrs.  Terriss,  the  very 
lady  I  was  tellin'  you  about  a  little  while  ago,  and 
this  is  the  first  visit  she  's  made  in  Snowdon  since 
she  came  back,  I  '11  be  bound." 

"  It  is  kind  of  you,  Miss  Redmond,  as  kind  as  it 
can  be,"  said  the  invalid,  in  a  weary  voice.  "  You 
know,  of.  course,  I  would  come  and  see  you  if  I 
could ;  but  no  doubt  Roxana  has  told  you  how 
feeble  I  am." 

"  I  am  very  sorry  for  you,  Mrs.  Terriss,"  replied 
Rebecca  warmly,  taking  the  chair  Mrs.  Sherritt 
had  placed  for  her.  "How  very  pleasant  your 
room  is !  I  must  speak  of  it,  because  I  remember 
it  such  a  different  place  in  my  girlhood.  Roxana, 
you  remember  too." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  nodded.  "  I  remember  well 
enough  ;  but  Mr.  Terriss  fixed  it  all  up  till  there 
is  n't  a  pleasanter  room  in  town.  Well,  I  must  go 
now,  Mrs.  Terriss.  I  leave  you  in  good  hands.  I 
think  Lucindy  '11  get  along  for  a  while  now." 

"Thank  you.  Do  come  again  soon.  You  have 
taught  her  to  make  bread  at  last,  so  I  shall  not 
starve ;  but  do  not  leave  us  too  long.  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt has  been  such  an  assistance  to  us,"  continued 
the  invalid,  after  Roxana's  departure.  "  The  help  in 
Snowdon  is  so  inferior  that  only  strong,  well  women 
could  keep  house  here  successfully,  I  am  sure. 
Mrs.  Sherritt  contrives  to  superintend  our  house 


42  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

as  well  as  the  doctor's,  or  I  don't  know  what  I 
should  do.  She  and  Mr.  Terriss  between  them 
manage  to  keep  me  alive,"  and  Mrs.  Terriss  smiled 
faintly. 

"  Do  you  suffer  much  pain  ?"  asked  Miss  Red- 
mond gently. 

Mrs.  Terriss  closed  her  eyes,  and  lifted  her  deli- 
cate hands  in  an  expressive  gesture.  "  No  one 
knows  what  I  suffer,"  she  answered,  "  no  one  but 
my  husband.  I  have  the  best,  the  most  devoted 
husband  in  the  world,"  she  added,  warming  into  a 
sudden  glow  of  enthusiasm. 

"And  have  you  long  been  an  invalid  ?  " 

"  For  many  years.  Ever  since  the  loss  of  my 
only  child." 

Rebecca's  conscience  smote  her  for  having  made 
anything  of  her  own  trials. 

"Dr.  Joy  comes  to  see  me  sometimes.  His 
visits  are  a  pleasure  to  anticipate,  but  there  is  little 
any  doctor  can  do  for  me.  My  husband  is  my 
best  doctor.  Words  cannot  tell  what  he  is  to  me. 
In  fact,  he  constitutes  my  world ;  but  excuse  the 
egotism  of  an  invalid.  Let  us  talk  of  something 
else.  Are  you  glad  to  come  back  to  Snowdon  ?  " 

Meanwhile  Mrs.  Redmond  was  telling  her  story 
to  an  attentive  listener.  The  room  in  which  she 
found  the  minister  was  one  of  the  barely  furnished 
upstairs  rooms  of  the  parsonage,  in  which  a  desk 
now  took  the  place  once  occupied  by  the  bedstead. 
The  ceiling  slanted  down  to  meet  the  windows  on 
one  side,  and  the  opposite  wall  was  filled  with 
shelves  of  books. 


ONCE  AGAIN.  43 

The  room  below,  in  which  Mr.  Dunham  had  com- 
posed his  sermons,  was  used  by  Mrs.  Terriss  as  a 
bedroom. 

"Of  course,  one  room  is  as  good  as  another  to 
one  who  can  come  and  go  at  will,"  she  had  said, 
when  her  husband  had  established  her  in  her 
pleasant  quarters. 

Elise,  after  her  first  rapid  glance  at  the  surround- 
ings, thought  no  more  of  them  as  she  told  the  story 
she  came  to  tell. 

Mr.  Terriss  listened  with  the  grave  air  habitual 
to  him.  His  hair  and  short  brown  beard  and 
mustache  were  thickly  sprinkled  with  gray,  and  his 
deep-set  eyes  had  the  pleasant  expression  that  had 
won  Mrs.  Redmond's  confidence  at  their  first 
meeting.  He  nodded  and  smiled,  as  she  finished. 

"  It  is  your  name,"  she  added,  "  which  has 
brought  all  this  upon  you.  I  thought  I  might  need 
a  man's  help,  and  so  I  came  to  you." 

There  was  almost  a  merry  look  in  the  minister's 
face  as  he  leaned  back  in  his  chair. 

"  I  hope  you  like  a  home  in  Snowdon  under  any 
circumstances,"  he  said,  "  for  your  errand  is  not 
likely  to  require  much  time." 

"You  know  Terriss,  then,"  exclaimed  Elise 
eagerly,  a  bright  color  tinging  her  fair  cheeks. 

"I  do.  It  is  hardly  two  weeks  since  I  heard 
from  him  the  other  side  of  this  story.  He  has 
been  ill,  and  is  in  a  hospital." 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Redmond.  "Is  he  — 
but  excuse  me,  perhaps  he  is  your  relative," 


44  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH   KNOLL. 

"  He  is  my  cousin ;  but  say  whatever  was  in 
your  mind." 

"  I  was  going  to  ask  you  if  he  is  respectable  ; 
but  I  mean,  is  he  worthy  ?  " 

"  So  far  as  I  know  ;  but  we  are  almost  strangers. 
He  happened  to  learn  recently  that  I  was  settled 
so  near  the  city,  and  being  rather  lonely  and  de- 
pressed in  the  hospital,  he  wrote  me,  asking  if  I 
could  come  to  see  him." 

"  This  is  wonderful,"  said  Mrs.  Redmond.  "  I 
have  thought  and  brooded  over  the  matter  so  much, 
and  imagined  so  many  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
finding  Terriss,  that  this  sudden  discovery  seems 
almost  too  good  to  be  true.  Did  he  —  of  course 
he  did  —  tell  you  the  cause  of  the  quarrel  between 
him  and  my  father?" 

Elise's  cheeks  burned,  and  she  bit  her  lip. 

Mr.  Terriss  read  aright  the  signs  of  apprehen- 
sion in  her  face. 

"  You  will  be  surprised,"  he  said,  "  to  learn  how 
slight  was  the  cause  of  the  trouble." 

"  Do  you  think  he  told  you  the  truth  ? "  she 
asked  quickly. 

Mr.  Terriss  raised  his  eyebrows.  "  I  hardly  see 
how  he  could  have  any  reason  not  to  do  so." 

"  Why,  to  preserve  his  reputation.  If  he  is  ill 
and  unfortunate  and  needs  your  help,  he  would  not 
willingly  prejudice  you  against  him." 

"  You  have  no  faith  in  him  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Terriss, 
keeping  his  eyes  fixed  on  his  visitor's  earnest,  beau- 
tiful face. 


OXCE  AGAIN.  45 

She  made  a  gesture  of  despair.  "  I  do  not  know 
him.  I  have  not  seen  him  since  I  was  ten  years 
old.  That  is  the  worst  of  it." 

"  Well,  I  think  he  was  telling  me  the  truth." 

"You  do.  What  did  he  tell  you?  May  I 
hear?" 

"  Certainly.  He  said  that  from  the  time  he  was 
sixteen  Mr.  Beckwith  wished  him  to  enter  the  min- 
istry. At  first  he  made  no  decided  objection,  but 
as  time  went  on  the  idea  became  growingly  re- 
pugnant to  him,  and  at  last  the  matter  became  the 
subject  of  the  quarrel  which  separated  them." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  exclaimed  Elise,  as  her  edifice  of 
vague  and  dreadful  suppositions  faded  into  noth- 
ingness. 

"  That  is  all." 

"  And  you  believe  him  ?  " 

"  I  saw  no  reason  to  doubt  him.  I  see  none 
now." 

"Well,  what  shall  I  do?"  Elise  spoke  rather 
curtly.  She  felt  extreme  vexation  with  the  boy 
whose  obstinacy  had  given  her  so  much  perplexity 
and  anxiety.  It  would  have  been  easier  to  bear 
had  he  given  her  father  more  reasonable  ground 
for  complaint. 

"  Is  he  a  successful  man  ?  "  she  added. 

Mr.  Tei'riss  smiled.  "  He  has  lost  his  position  in 
a  banking-house  by  this  illness,"  he  returned,  "  and 
is  not  yet  able  to  think  of  finding  another.  In 
fact,  he  admitted  to  me  that  he  had  been  unusually 
unsuccessful.  Quite  a  sum  of  money  which  he  had 


46  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

saved  was  lost  in  the Bank  failure,  and  the 

little  he  has  left  is  melting-  fast  in  his  present 
rather  expensive  quarters." 

Mrs.  Redmond's  cold  look  did  not  soften.  „  She 
did  not  like  the  picture  of  the  invalid  pouring  his 
woes  into  the  ear  of  his  stranger  relative ;  but  a 
sense  of  justice  constrained  her. 

"  He  was  brought  up  as  the  son  of  a  rich  man," 
she  said.  "  It  is  hard  for  him.  May  I  ask  you  to 
take  the  trouble  to  write  him,  saying  nothing  of  me, 
excepting  that  Mr.  Beckvvith's  daughter  has  com- 
municated with  you,  and  inform  him  of  my  wish  to 
give  him  his  share  of  the  property  ?  " 

"  Since  it  is  your  wish,  after  much  consideration, 
I  will  do  so  with  pleasure." 

"  I  do  not  care  to  meet  him  if  it  is  not  necessary, 
so  do  not  tell  him  that  I  am  here.  Simply  say,  if 
you  will,  that  I  consider  that  he  ought  to  have  a  por- 
tion of  my  father's  property,  and  that  I  am  ready  to 
give  it  to  him.  My  lawyer  will  attend  to  the  rest." 
Mrs.  Redmond  rose.  "  You  are  very  kind  to  assist 
me,"  she  added,  with  a  return  of  her  gracious 
manner. 

"•  You  may  be  sure  that  I  am  very  happy  to  have 
a  hand  in  bringing  better  times  to  my  cousin  —  a 
second  cousin  only,  to  be  sure,  but  we  are  a  small 
family,  and  must  make  the  most  of  each  other." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  said  Elise,  as  her  companion 
rose,  "  to  learn  that  Mrs.  Terriss  is  ill." 

The  cheerful  light  died  from  the  minister's  face. 
He  bowed  slightly.  "  No  more  so  than  usual,"  he 


ONCE  AGAIN.  47 

said.  "  Mrs.  Terriss  is  an  invalid.  I  should  like 
to  introduce  you  to  her  before  you  go.  It  is  a 
great  pleasure  to  her  to  meet  new  people." 

"  Thank  you,  I  should  be  glad  to  know  her. 
She  is  receiving  a  call  now  from  my  sister,  Miss 
Redmond." 

"  Ah,  I  am  glad  of  that.  I  suppose,  Mrsc  Red- 
mond, in  the  case  of  Terriss  Chester,  it  is  not  in  my 
province  to  remind  you  that  you  are  doing  an 
unusual  thing,  perhaps  an  unnecessarily  generous 
thing,  in  giving  up  this  property." 

The  haughty  look  came  back  to  the  fair  face. 
"  I  shall  relieve  myself  by  doing  so.  There  is 
nothing  unselfish  in  it.  If  only  it  does  good  and 
not  harm  to  Mr.  Chester,  I  shall  be  entirely  satis- 
fied. I  am  more  than  fortunate  to  have  found 
such  a  friend  in  the  matter  as  yourself." 

The  minister  bowed  again.  There  was  a  grace- 
ful dignity  about  the  man,  despite  his  threadbare 
coat  and  shabby  surroundings,  which  more  than 
ever  impressed  his  guest  favorably. 

She  followed  him  downstairs  and  into  the  sitting- 

o 

room,  where  comfort  prevailed  in  such  striking 
contrast  to  the  rest  of  the  house. 

"  Lily,  I  have  brought  you  a  visitor,"  he  said. 
"  This  is  Mrs.  Redmond,  who  has  come  to  live  at 
Beech  Knoll.". 

Rebecca  straightened  herself  suddenly  in  her 
chair,  and  a  mist  passed  before  her  eyes. 

"And  this,  my  dear,  is  Miss  Redmond,"  re- 
turned Mrs.  Terriss,  her  voice  suddenly  sounding 


48  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

far  away  to  Rebecca ;  but  the  latter  mechanically 
put  out  her  hand  to  the  one  extended  to  her. 

"Miss  Redmond  and  I  met  once,  many  years 
ago,"  said  the  minister. 

"  Philip,  I  wish  you  would  draw  that  shade  down 
a  little,"  observed  his  wife.  "  Mrs.  Redmond  will 
sit  down,  I  hope." 

"  I  thank  you.  I  only  came  in  to  meet  you  this 
time,  Mrs.  Terriss.  I  shall  call  on  you  soon,  if  you 
will  let  me.  We  must  not  stay  longer  to-day." 

"  No,  not  to-day,  Elise,"  echoed  Rebecca.  She 
did  not  know  what  more  was  said.  She  did  not 
know  how  finally  relief  came,  and  they  two  were 
walking  in  the  fresh  air.  She  did  not  hear  a  word 
of  what  Elise  said  to  her.  There  was  room  in  her 
mind  for  only  one  idea  at  present.  History  had 
repeated  itself,  and  she  had  stood  face  to  face  with 
Philip  Terriss,  heard  his  voice,  and  touched  hi* 
hand. 


CHAPTER  V. 

IN   THE   MIDST   OF   LIFE. 

ROXAXA  walked  in  upon  Phyllis,  who  was  curled 
up  in  her  favorite  corner  of  the  sitting-room,  read- 
ing. 

"  Well,  I  've  seen  her,"  she  commenced,  unpin- 
ning her  shawl. 

"  Who  ?  "  asked  Phyllis  vaguely,  looking  up  re- 
luctantly from  the  interview  between  Romola  and 
her  dying  brother. 

••  Mrs.  Richard  Redmond  the  second,"  replied 
Mrs.  Sherritt,  removing  her  hat. 

"  You  do  not  like  her,"  said  Phyllis  quickly. 

"  Who  told  you  ?  " 

"  You  did.     I  know  you,  Roxana." 

"  I  do  like  her,"  returned  Mrs.  Sherritt,  rather 
ashamed  of  herself,  and  taking  refuge  in  defiance. 
"  You  ain't  any  mind-reader,  Phyllis.  To  be  sure, 
she  did  n't  seem  just  willin'  to  stop  and  visit  with 
Mrs.  Terriss." 

"  Is  that  where  you  met  her  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  she  came  to  see  the  minister." 

Phyllis  laughed.  "  Mrs.  Redmond  looked  or 
said  something  that  you  did  n't  like.  I  know  that 
perfectly  well." 

"  Then  I  'm  an  ugly,  touchy  thing,"  observed 


50  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Mrs.  Sherritt,  her  lips  twitching  in  a  smile.  "  She 
looked  handsome,  and  she  spoke  civil ;  but  Miss 
Rebecca  was  with  her,  and  she  stayed,  in  her  quiet 
little  neighborly  way,  to  visit  with  Mrs.  Terriss, 
while  the  young  woman  rushed  off  to  the  minis- 
ter's study.  It  seems  as  though  her  soul  must  need 
attendin'  to  in  an  awful  hurry,  seein'  she  could  n't 
wait  for  him  to  come  and  see  her.  However,  it 's 
none  o'  my  business." 

"  Do  you  think  I  dare  visit  her  ?  "  asked  Phyllis 
eagerly. 

"Oh,  I  guess  she  ain't  as  wicked  as  all  that 
comes  to.  I  was  only  jokin'." 

"  Nonsense  !  I  mean,  is  she  very  elegant  and  — 
and  proud  ?  Does  she  look  as  though  she  would 
laugh  at  one  ?  " 

"  Why,  Phyllis  Flower,  I  am  surprised  at  you  !  " 
exclaimed  Roxana,  standing  still  to  point  her 
words.  "  Don't  you  know  your  folks  are  as  good 
as  any  in  the  land  ?  There  are  relicts  up  in  the 
attic  this  minute  that  are  most  likely  older  and 
respectabler  than  any  Mrs.  Redmond  could  show 
to  save  her  life.  What  was  her  father  ?  Prob'bly 
began  life  with  a  pickaxe  in  a  mine.  All  those 
rich  California  folks  did.  Your  great-grandmother 
was  related  to  the  governor  o'  the  State  in  her 
time.  There 's  a  green  brocade  dress  o'  hers  in 
the  attic  this  minute,  and  if  Mrs.  Redmond  should 
say  anythin'  high-headed,  it  would  n't  do  any  harm 
for  you  to  refer  to  it.  Dare  to  go  and  see  her ! 
You  're  gain1  to  see  her !  I  heard  your  uncle  say 


iy   THE   MIDST  OF  LiFK.  51 

he  should  call  on  Miss  Rebecca  no  later  than  to- 
morrow, and  you  shall  go  with  him." 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  sure  I  want  to,"  said  Phyllis. 
"  What  is  Mrs.  Redmond  like  ?  " 

"  Like  ?  She  's  tall,  and  slim,  and  red-headed, 
with  a  goodish  complexion,"  returned  Roxana, 
shaking  down  the  stove  with  a  racket  that  almost 
drowned  the  words  which  Phyllis  strained  her  ears 
to  hear. 

"  Do  stop  that  noise,"  begged  the  girl.  "  Is  she 
young  ?  " 

"  It  feels  more  like  spring  than  ever,"  remarked 
Roxana,  rising  from  her  knees.  "  I  should  n't 
wonder  if,  when  this  fire  goes  out,  we  did  n't  have 
to  build  it  up  again." 

"  Is  she  young?  "  repeated  Phyllis.  "  Miss  Red- 
mond said  so." 

"  Yes,  she  's  young,  and  she  's  got  kind  of  a  bos- 
sin'  way  with  her  that  old-fashioned  folks  think 
sets  better  on  older  people." 

Phyllis  repressed  a  smile.  She  knew  Roxana 
had  a  predilection  for  doing  all  the  "  bossing " 
herself. 

"You  shall  go  with  your  uncle  to-morrow," 
added  Mrs.  Sherritt  decidedly.  "  You  've  been 
invited,  and  you  sha'n't  hang  back.  After  you  've 
been  once,  if  you  don't  want  to  go  again  I  won't 
say  a  word ;  only,  do  you  hold  up  your  head, 
Phyllis,  and  remember  who  you  are.  " 

Dr.  Joy  smiled  in  an  amused  fashion  when  his 
housekeeper  informed  him  of  her  desires. 


52      THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  You  think  it  is  time  the  little  girl  made  her 
de"but,  do  you  ?  "  he  said. 

"  Miss  Rebecca  asked  her  to  come,"  returned 
Roxana  ;  "  and  I  will  say  for  Phyllis,"  she  added, 
in  a  lowered  tone,  "  that  she  has  been  very  sensible 
about  all  this  Beech  Knoll  fluster,  and  it 's  natural 
she  should  want  to  see  the  place.  Now,  let  her  go 
decently  and  in  order  with  you,  and  make  a  call, 
and  that 's  all  right." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  personally  aided  at  the  girl's  toilet 
on  the  important  occasion.  Phyllis  wore  a  plain 
gray  dress  of  thin  and  lustrous  silk,  a  black  straw 
turban,  a  gray  and  white  shawl,  and  black  silk 
gloves.  Had  she  arrayed  herself  in  the  ancestral 
brocade,  she  could  hardly  have  presented  a  quainter 
appearance ;  but  in  her  own  and  Roxana's  eyes 
her  costume  left  nothing  to  be  desired. 

"  Remember  the  governor  o'  the  State,"  whis- 
pered Mrs.  Sherritt,  as  she  tucked  her  into  the 
buggy. 

"  What  was  that  ?  "  asked  the  doctor,  as  they 
started. 

*'  Roxana  does  n't  want  me  to  be  shy,"  explained 
Phyllis. 

"  This  is  your  first  formal  call,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  don't  frighten  me  with  that  awful  word !  " 
exclaimed  Phyllis,  catching  her  breath.  "There 
could  not  be  any  formality  in  Snowdon,  could 
there  ?  " 

"  No,  I  think  not.  Do  you  ever  wish  you  could 
go  away  from  Snowdon,  little  one  ?  " 


IN  THE  MIDST  OF  LIFE.  53 

"  I  did  until  that  night  we  spent  in  Boston. 
Oh,  how  noisy  it  was  !  I  wondered,  and  I  won- 
der still,  how  people  keep  their  wits  in  such  an 
uproar." 

"  Then  you  are  quite  contented  ?  " 

"  Oh,  who  is  quite  contented  ?  "  replied  the  girl. 

The  doctor  nodded.  "  I  often  wonder  if  I  am 
doing  right  by  you,  Phyllis.  I  know  I  'm  a  near- 
sighted old  man,  mentally  as  well  as  physically  ; 
and  because  I  am  satisfied  with  a  fire  and  plenty 
of  books  and  tea  when  I  come  in  from  a  cold  ride, 
I  am  apt  to  forget  that  you  need  something  more 
stirring.  It  seems  to  me  you  never  have  young 
people  at  the  house  any  more." 

"No,  the  only  girls  I  cared  for  are  away  at 
school." 

Dr.  Joy  looked  around  at  her  sharply.  "  Why 
have  n't  you  asked  me  to  let  you  go  away  to 
school  ?  " 

Phyllis  shook  her  head.  "  I  knew  it  cost  too 
much,  and,  beside,  I  like  my  studies  with  you  so 
much.  I  am  not  afraid  I  shall  not  be  able  to  hold 
my  own  with  them  when  they  come  back." 

Dr.  Joy  continued  to  cast  uneasy  glances  at  his 
companion.  "You  seem  always  to  be  reading," 
he  said. 

Phyllis  smiled.  "  A  great  mistake  of  yours, 
Uncle  Doctor.  Roxana  sees  to  it  that  I  do  a  vari- 
ety of  other  things." 

"  Roxana  is  very  fond  of  you,  and  she  has 
taught  you  to  be  as  handy  as  herself  ;  but  I  think 


54  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

sometimes  you  ought  now  to  have  other  and  more 
suitable  companions.  How  old  are  you  ?  " 

"  Twenty,  my  next  birthday." 

"  Impossible  !  "  ejaculated  Dr.  Joy,  with  a  great 
start.  "  Bless  my  soul !  " 

He  directed  a  frowning  gaze  forward  between 
the  horse's  ears,  and  muttered  to  himself,  — 

"  That  settles  it.  I  must  see  Teri-iss  as  soon  as 
I  can,  and  tell  him.  I  can't  think  of  it." 

"  Can't  think  of  what  ?  "  inquired  Phyllis  curi- 
ously. 

"  Oh,  a  favor  he  asked  of  me.     No  matter." 

"  You  ought  not  to  refuse  any  favor  to  Mr. 
Terriss." 

"  Well,  I  had  something  of  that  feeling  myself, 
and  so  I  told  him  I  would  consider  it ;  but  I  did 
not  remember  then  how  old  you  were,"  and  Dr. 
Joy  smiled. 

"  I  shall  get  Mr.  Terriss  to  tell  me  what  it  is. 
He  is  lovely  to  me  since  I  have  been  going  regu- 
larly to  read  to  his  wife,  and  I  am  sure  he  will  not 
refuse.  Uncle  Doctor,  did  you  ever  see  so  devoted 
a  husband  ?  " 

Dr.  Joy  nodded.  "  The  man  is  a  marvel,"  he 
returned.  "  One  who  did  not  know  that  the  debt 
was  all  on  her  side  would  say  that  he  was  inces- 
santly trying  to  make  up  to  her  for  some  sin  of 
omission.  There  is  enough  unselfishness  under  his 
shabby  coat  to  fit  out  his  entire  flock,  and  have 
some  to  spare." 

"  But  Mrs.  Terriss  is  remarkable,  too." 


IN  THE   MIDST  OF  LIFE.  55 

"  Admitted.     Mrs.  Terriss  is  a  marvel,  also." 

"  Uncle  Doctor,  I  do  not  understand  you.  You 
have  no  right  to  smile  in  that  horrid  little  way, 
whenever  you  speak  of  Mrs.  Terriss.  A  doctor, 
too.  Are  n't  you  ashamed,  dear  ?  " 

"  I  '11  try  to  be,  Phyllis.     How  will  that  do  ?  " 

u  Why,  it  will  not  do  at  all,  unless  you  succeed 
better  than  you  have  in  the  past.  You  are  so 
good  and  kind  and  sympathetic  about  everybody 
else  that  it  puzzles  me  and  provokes  me  to  have 
you  behave  so  about  Mrs.  Terriss." 

"  It  is  very  difficult  for  stout  people  to  be  sym- 
pathetic," returned  Dr.  Joy  soberly,  "  and  I  have 
grown  far  too  stout  the  past  year." 

Phyllis  leaned  lovingly  against  him.  "  There 
cannot  be  too  much  of  you,  you  know,  only  you 
are  not  so  well,  Uncle  Doctor,  and  you  must  diet. 
Oh,  we  are  almost  there  !  Have  you  seen  her?" 
and  the  girl  sat  up  very  straight  and  her  eyes 
brightened. 

'•  Xo,  not  for  a  dozen  years." 

"  Oh,  I  do  not  mean  Miss  Rebecca  !  There  is 
nothing  frightful  about  her.  I  mean  Mrs.  Red- 
mond." 

"  No,  I  have  not  seen  her.  There  is  the  house 
—  spruce,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

Phyllis  looked  eagerly  about  her  as  they  turned 
in  at  the  gateway.  There  was  a  group  on  the  drive 
at  the  foot  of  the  steps.  'A  lady  on  horseback  was 
walking  her  steed  up  and  down,  while  another  lady 
and  a  man  in  a  rough  coat  looked  on. 


56  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  What  a  beautiful  horse  !  "  exclaimed  Phyllis, 
"  and  how  that  lady  sits !  There  is  Miss  Red- 
mond on  the  piazza.  She  sees  you,  Uncle  Doctor." 

Dr.  Joy  touched  his  hat,  and  the  lady  on  horse- 
back drew  away  to  let  the  buggy  approach,  mean 
while  looking  inquiringly  toward  Rebecca,  who 
came  smiling  down  the  steps.  "  I  am  very  glad 
to  see  you,"  said  the  latter  warmly.  "  Elise,  this 
is  Dr.  Joy  and  his  niece  Phyl  —  Miss  Flower. 
Mrs.  Redmond,  Doctor." 

Mrs.  Redmond  bowed,  her  graceful  figure  bend- 
ing in  compliance  with  the  restless  motions  of  her 
horse. 

"My  sister  will  take  you  into  the  house,"  she 
said  cordially.  "  I  will  join  you  soon.  I  have 
just  purchased  this  saddle  horse,  Dr.  Joy.  Do  you 
like  his  appearance  ?  " 

"  He  is  a  beauty,  madam,  and  worthy  of  you," 
returned  the  doctor,  with  prompt  politeness.  He 
dismounted  with  the  deliberation  of  the  corpulent, 
and  gave  his  hand  to  Phyllis,  whose  cheeks  and 
eyes  were  bright.  "  This  little  girl  would  give  her 
ears  for  his  mate ;  but  she  takes  an  occasional 
canter  on  old  Sorrel  here,  and  makes  that  do." 

"  You  will  try  my  horse  some  day,  perhaps, 
Miss  Flower,"  said  Mrs.  Redmond  pleasantly. 

Phyllis  was  filled  with  confusion  and  wrath  at 
her  uncle.  It  was  provoking  in  him  to  make  such 
a  blundering  remark.  Mrs.  Redmond  had  been 
forced  at  once  into  patronizing  her.  Such  a  young 
woman,  too ! 


IN   THE   MIDST  OF  LIFE.  57 

Phyllis  felt  strangely  shy  and  awkward  as  she 
passed  ink)  the  house.  Surprise  at  Mrs.  Red- 
mond's beauty,  for  which  Roxana's  grudging  de- 
scription had  in  no  wise  prepared  her,  mingled  in 
her  thoughts  with  resentment  at  her  own  embar- 
rassment. Her  heart  beat  fast  as  she  followed 
Miss  Rebecca  and  her  uncle,  after  making  some 
inarticulate  answer  to  Mrs.  Redmond's  politeness. 
Here  was  the  interior  she  had  so  ardently  desired 
to  see,  and  its  beauty  completed  the  subjugation 
which  had  been  commenced. 

A  young  woman  who  bought  and  furnished 
houses  like  this,  who  rode  blooded  horses,  and  who 
was  never  shy  or  embarrassed,  was  not  a  person 
to  be  affected  by  the  green  brocade,  or  the  dignity 
of  anybody's  great-grandmother.  Phyllis  was  re- 
flecting upon  this  when  the  mistress  of  the  house 
entered,  her  bright  head  uncovered  and  her  habit 
gathered  in  one  hand. 

Rebecca  looked  from  her  to  Phyllis. 

"You  must  excuse  me,  my  dear,"  she  said  to 
the  latter,  "  for  stumbling  over  your  name.  The 
idea,  you  know,  of  calling  little  Phyllis  Miss 
Flower." 

"  When  you  left  her  a  bud,"  said  Elise,  seating 
herself  beside  her  caller. 

Dr.  Joy  looked  at  the  speaker  with  undisguised 
admiration.  "  I  have  a  complaint  to  lodge  against 
you,  Mrs.  Redmond,"  he  remarked.  "  Do  you 
know  you  have  nearly  ruined  my  practice  by  your 
enchantments  ?  " 


58      THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  It  would  be  uncivil,  I  suppose,  to  call  that  a 
blessing  to  the  community,"  replied  Mrs.  Red- 
mond. "  Tell  me  how,  pray." 

"  By  making  Beech  Knoll  so  interesting.  Wo- 
men that  should  have  been  at  home  studying  their 
nervous  systems  have  put  on  their  bonnets  and 
walked  up  here  every  day.  Fresh  air  and  exercise 
are  mortal  enemies  to  physicians.  I  am  thinking 
of  suing  you  for  damages." 

Elise  smiled.  "  Let  me  advise  you  not  to  do  so, 
for  it  will  be  an  endless  suit.  I  am  as  devoted  to 
an  outdoor  life  as  when  I  was  here  twelve  years 
ago ;  and  I  mean  to  set  a  constant  example  to  the 
townfolk,  now  that  I  am  really  back  in  beloved 
Beech  Knoll." 

"  I  hope  you  will  try  your  influence  on  our  min- 
is! 3r's  wife,"  said  the  doctor. 

Phyllis's  tongue  became  loosened.  "  Uncle  Doc- 
tor," she  warned,  "  be  careful ;  you  will  give  a 
false  impression." 

"  I  made  Mrs.  Terriss'  acquaintance  yesterday, ' 
said  Rebecca  in  her  quiet  voice.  "  She  appeals 
very  strongly  to  one's  sympathy ;  yet  she  seems  to 
have  a  lovely  resignation  in  her  trials." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  doctor,  catching  his  niece's 
anxious  gaze,  "  I  think  she  is  entirely  resigned  to 
her  situation." 

Mrs.  Redmond's  fair  brow  wrinkled  and  she 
shook  her  head.  "  How  marvelous  that  mortals 
ever  can  accept  such  imprisonment!  I  suppose 
everything  has  been  tried  for  her  ?  " 


IN   THE  MIDST   OF  LIFE.  59 

Dr.  Joy  started  to  speak,  but  his  niece,  not 
liking  the  expression  of  his  mouth,  interrupted  — 

"  She  has  almost  no  use  of  her  limbs,  Mrs.  Red- 
mond. Mr.  Terriss  carries  her  back  and  forth 
from  her  bed  to  her  chair." 

Mrs.  Redmond  turned  toward  the  speaker.  "  A 
very  prepossessing  man,  Mr.  Terriss,"  she  said, 
"and  no  doubt  a  devoted  husband.  My  sister 
knew  him,  it  seems,  many  years  ago." 

"  Yes,  many  years  ago,"  said  Miss  Redmond,  as 
they  all  looked  at  her ;  "  so  many  that  we  have  to 
begin  our  acquaintance  afresh.  Let  me  see,  Dr. 
Joy,  it  is  once  in  seven  years,  is  it  not,  that  we  are 
entirely  renewed  physically  ?  Phyllis,  for  instance, 
has  nothing  about  her  of  the  Phyllis  I  used  to 
know  —  unless,  perhaps,  you  still  have  a  fancy  for 
my  seed  cakes.  How  is  that,  Phyllis  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure  I  have." 

"  Well,  you  shall  see,  at  any  rate.  I  made  some 
this  morning,  just  for  Auld  Lang  Syne.  It  is  long 
since  I  have  had  a  chance  to  cook.  Elise,  may  I 
take  Phyllis  and  show  her  more  of  the  house  ?  " 

Mrs.  Redmond  assenting,  Phyllis  rose,  a  prim 
figure,  and  followed  Miss  Rebecca  from  the  room. 

Mrs.  Redmond  observed  the  fond  gaze  with 
which  the  doctor  followed  her. 

"Your  niece  seems  to  have  been  a  pet  of  my 
sister's  in  the  past,"  she  remarked. 

"  Yes,  poor  little  Phyl.  Her  orphaned  condition 
always  drew  kind  hearts  toward  her." 

w  But  she  has  a  father  in  you,  I  see." 


60  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Yes,  I  have  clone  my  rather  poor  best  for  her. 
I  am  very  glad  you  and  Rebecca  have  come,"  con- 
tinued the  doctor,  emboldened  and  attracted  by  his 
hostess'  gracious  manner.  "  I  hope  you  will  let 
that  little  girl  visit  here  sometimes.  I  know  well 
enough  that  she  needs  something  beside  what  she 
gets  at  home.  The  woman  who  has  had  charge  of 
her  almost  from  infancy  is  a  shrewd,  sensible,  good- 
hearted  creature,  who  is  devoted  to  her,  but  she  is 
necessarily  narrow.  For  years,  Phyl  has  studied 
with  me  instead  of  going  to  school,  and  she  is  fairly 
well  educated ;  but  I  assure  you,  Mrs.  Redmond, 
she  took  my  breath  away  to-day  when  she  an- 
nounced that  she  would  be  twenty  on  her  next 
birthday.  Where  does  time  fly  to  ?  I  am  a  plod- 
ding sort  of  an  old  fellow,  and  when  I  realize  that 
Phyl  is  a  woman,  I  find  myself  rather  helpless.  I 
suppose  I  knew  she  would  become  one  if  she  lived ; 
but  the  prospect  was  always  a  dim,  vague  one,  like 
that  of  —  well,  death.  Her  mother  was  my  favor- 
ite sister.  I  want  to  do  the  very  best  thing  in  my 
power  for  the  child.  Perhaps  you  and  Rebecca 
will  advise  me  sometimes.  I  am  glad  to  find  I 
have  some  sense,  too,"  continued  the  doctor  more 
hopefully.  "  A  friend  has  just  been  asking  me  to 
take  a  single  man  to  board  in  my  family.  Well,  I 
considered  it.  To-day,  when  Phyllis  told  me  her 
age,  I  saw  plainly  enough  that  it  would  n't  be  a 
wise  thing  to  do.  Now,  then,  that  was  having  my 
wits  about  me,  eh  ?  "  and  the  doctor's  round  face 
beamed  in  self-congratulation. 


fN  THE  MIDST  OF  LIFE.  61 

"  That  was  very  wise  in  you,  undoubtedly,"  re- 
plied Mrs.  Redmond,  with  a  quick,  pretty  nod. 
"  Rebecca  seems  fond  of  your  niece,  and  Rebecca 
is  a  friend  worth  having."  She  spoke  in  so  grace- 
ful and  cordial  a  manner  that  the  good  doctor  did 
not  perceive  that  his  new  acquaintance  committed 
herself  to  nothing.  Mrs.  Redmond's  experience 
had  taught  her  caution.  Much  was  always  ex- 
pected of  her.  She  was  accustomed  to  have  her 
favor  sought  under  all  sorts  of  pretexts,  and  to  be 
courted  under  many  guises.  She  was  no  longer 
in  danger  of  yielding  an  inch  of  territory,  simply 
because  it  was  begged  of  her  ;  but  she  gave  Dr. 
Joy  a  frank  gaze,  the  dimple  dipped  in  her  cheek, 
and  he  felt  certain  of  her  sympathy  and  compre- 
hension. 

Miss  Redmond  entered  the  room,  bearing  a  little 
tray. 

"  You  must  try  one  of  the  seed  cakes,  Dr.  Joy, 
and  see  if  you  think  my  hand  has  lost  its  cunning. 
Take  a  glass  of  wine  with  it." 

••  Xot  the  \\  .1  ^hank  you,  Rebecca.  There  is  a 
humming  in  my  uead  in  these  days,  if  I  try  any- 
thing but  water,  that  makes  me  believe  I  have  a 
bee  in  my  bonnet." 

Phyllis  sat  down,  and  while  her  uncle  ate  a  bit 
of  the  cake  and  chatted  with  his  old  friend,  she 
lifted  her  eyes  to  her  hostess. 

"  I  am  very  much  surprised  that  you  cared  to 
come  to  Snowdon  to  live,"  she  said. 

Mrs.  Redmond  raised  her  eyebrows.     "  You  do 


62  TUE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

not  like  it,  then  ?  "  she  returned,  her  slow,  musical 
speech  striking-  the  girl  as  a  great  charm. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  another  place  some  time." 

Elise  looked  at  her  with  more  attention. 

"  That  is  natural ;  but  I  have  tried  a  great  many 
places,  and  you  see  I  come  back  to  Snowdon." 

"  But  tastes  differ,"  said  Phyllis. 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed,"  admitted  Mrs.  Redmond, 
amused  by  the  stiff  reply.  "  Perhaps  I  shall  find 
that  some  of  the  charm  of  Beech  Knoll  has  de- 
parted with  my  childhood,  but  I  do  not  believe  it 
yet.  Do  you  play  lawn  tennis,  Miss  Flower  ?  " 

"No,"  replied  Phyllis,  angry  with  herself  because 
she  could  not  say  yes,  and  consequently  flushing. 
Elise  began  to  see  that  she  was  very  pretty,  and 
that  she  was  shy. 

"  I  expect  to  have  a  ground  laid  out  to-morrow. 
I  will  teach  you  the  game,  if  you  like.  I  must  have 
some  one  to  play  with,"  she  considered  mentally. 

"  Thank  you,"  returned  Phyllis  curtly.  "  I  hope 
you  will  come  and  see  us,  Mrs.  Redmond.  Uncle 
Doctor,  we  must  go,"  she  added ;  and  rose  as  she 
spoke. 

Her  uncle  imitated  her  movement  rather  reluc- 
tantly, and  after  a  few  more  words  the  visitors 
entered  their  buggy  and  drove  away. 

"  What  a  quaint  little  creature,"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Redmond,  when  Rebecca  returned  from  seeing 
them  off.  "  Phyllis  Flower.  How  the  name  suits 
her!  Poor  little  maid,  dressed  in  her  grandmother's 
fashion,  and  so  stiff  and  ill  at  ease !  " 


IN  THE  MIDST  OF  LIFE.  63 

"  She  was  afraid  of  you,  perhaps,"  suggested 
Miss  Redmond.  "Her  stiffness  disappeared  as 
soon  as  we  left  you.  I  showed  her  several  of  the 
rooms." 

"  Are  there  many  of  them?"  inquired  Elise,  with 
a  far-away  look. 

"  What  are  you  talking  about,  child?   Rooms?" 

"  No,  Flowers.  I  mean  people,"  replied  Mrs. 
Redmond  abstractedly.  "  I  forgot  that  there  would 
be  people  here." 

"  Well,  well !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Rebecca,  bridling. 

"  Of  course,  your  friends,"  returned  Elise 
hastily,  "  any  one  you  care  for,  I  shall  care  for  as  a 
matter  of  course ;  but  it  has  just  occurred  to  me 
that  perhaps  Snowdon  has  a  sewing-circle,  and  that 
it  will  expect  to  meet  here." 

She  sank  upon  a  divan  with  so  dismayed  an  ex- 
pression that  Miss  Redmond  laughed  in  spite  of 
herself. 

"  You  did  not  ask  my  advice  before  you  decided 
to  come  to  Snowdon,  remember.  Yes,  I  think  you 
may  have  to  entertain  a  quilting-bee  here  in  time." 

"  Rebecca,  don't  frighten  me,  or  I  shall  invite  a 
house-party." 

Meanwhile,  Dr.  Joy,  as  they  rolled  along  toward 
home,  had  turned  to  his  niece  questioningly. 

"  Well,  Phyl,  how  do  you  like  formal  calling  ?  " 

"  I  hate  it,"  responded  the  girl  sententiously. 

Roxana,  coming  expectantly  to  the  door  to  meet 
them,  was  surprised  at  the  weary,  unhappy  look  on 
Phyllis's  face. 


64  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  She  did  not  enjoy  herself,  somehow,"  said  the 
doctor  explanatorily,  "  but  I  did.  Snowdon  has 
made  an  acquisition  in  that  beautiful  woman." 

"  She  ain't  any  beauty,  to  my  mind,"  said  Rox- 
ana,  looking  anxiously  at  her  darling.  "  Did  you 
see  Miss  Rebecca?" 

"  Yes,  and  she  showed  me  all  over  the  house," 
replied  Phyllis,  coming  into  the  dining-room  and 
sitting  down.  "  You  never  saw  such  a  place, 
Roxana.  It  is  like  a  palace.  I  never  want  to  go 
there  again." 

"  I  thought  so,"  ejaculated  Mrs.  Sherritt  indig- 
nantly. "  I  knew  you  would  not  like  that  stuck-up 
woman.  I  ain't  generally  mistaken  in  folks  and  "  — 

Phyllis  stopped  her  with  an  impatient  gesture. 
"  She  was  very  pleasant  and  kind,"  she  asserted. 
"  It  was  myself  who  disgusted  me.  I  was  so  stiff 
and  tongue-tied.  I  should  be  ashamed  ever  to  see 
her  again.  She  wanted  to  laugh  at  me.  I  dare 
say  she  is  laughing  at  me  at  the  present  moment," 
and  the  girl's  cheeks  tingled. 

Dr.  Joy,  who  entered  the  room  in  time  to  hear 
the  last  remark,  laid  his  hand  on  his  niece's  head. 

"All's  well  that  ends  well,"  he  said  kindly. 
"  That  is  going  to  be  a  good  place  for  you  to  visit, 
and  you  will  laugh  at  this  some  day.  I  am  glad 
Rebecca  has  come  back.  I  believe  I  will  go  up- 
stairs and  lie  down  awhile,"  he  added,  turning 
away.  "  I  am  bothered  with  that  giddiness  again. 
Call  me  in  time  for  tea.  Promise  me  to  be  your 
sensible  little  self,  Phyl,  and  don't  sulk.  Perhaps 


J\   THE  MIDST  OF  LIFE.  65 

it  was  some  of  Uncle  Doctor's  awkwardness  that 
made  things  go  wrong,  eh?" 

Phyllis,  in  thinking  over  these  words  afterward, 
trembled  to  think  that  she  might  have  shrugged 
her  shoulders  in  silence,  or  otherwise  have  indulged 
the  spirit  of  childish  resentment  which  possessed 
her. 

What  she  really  did  was  to  raise  her  eyes  to  the 
kind  old  face,  and  feeling  touched  by  its  expres- 
sion, to  throw  her  uncle  a  kiss. 

"  Dear  Uncle  Doctor,  you  redeemed  the  occasion. 
They  are  not  laughing  at  you,  if  they  are  at  me," 
she  said  affectionately. 

He  smiled  faintly,  and  left  the  room ;  and  an 
hour  afterward  Phyllis,  prostrate  on  the  floor  beside 
his  bed,  was  sobbing  her  heart  out  in  gratitude  for 
those  loving  words  ;  for  Roxana,  when  she  went 
according  to  directions  to  call  the  doctor  to  their 
early  tea,  had  found  the  good  man  peacefully  sleep 
ing  his  last  sleep. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A    SHARP   REBUFF. 

IT  was  the  clay  following  Dr.  Joy's  funeral  that 
Philip  Terriss  walked  in  at  the  gate  of  Beech  Knoll 
and  asked  for  its  mistress.  It  was  his  first  call, 
and  he  felt  something  of  the  qualms  Rebecca  had 
experienced  as  he  entered  the  doors ;  also  something 
of  the  same  relief,  as  he  saw  how  unrecognizable 
were  the  old  rooms,  where  in  his  youth  he  had 
endured  such  enchantment  and  such  pain.  The 
resolute  purpose  which  had  led  him  back  to  the 
side  of  his  fiancee  had  never  faltered.  He  had 
long  since  won  a  habit  of  considering  his  wife  and 
ignoring  himself,  which  had  become  an  armor 
against  the  assaults  of  the  past  or  present. 

He  had  seen  that  it  was  a  blow  to  Rebecca  to 
meet  him,  and  he  blamed  himself  for  having  sur- 
prised her.  He  had  accepted  the  call  to  Snowdon 
as  being  a  favorable  place  for  his  wife's  health, 
with  the  belief  that  Rebecca  had  left  the  town  for- 
ever. When  he  suddenly  learned  of  her  return,  it 
did  not  occur  to  him  that  he  might  meet  her  before 
she  learned  his  identity  ;  yet  the  privilege  of  apolo- 
gizing to  her  now  would  be  denied  him.  Perhaps 
after  all  it  was  unnecessary.  Little  Rebecca,  with 
her  snowy  hair  and  her  calm  eyes !  How  different 


A   SHARP  REBUFF.  67 

she  had  been  when  last  he  saw  her  in  this  room  !  He 
was  reflecting  upon  the  past  with  a  vague  return 
of  his  old  wonder  at  the  cruelty  of  circumstances, 
when  Mrs.  Redmond  entered  the  room. 

There  was  some  haughtiness  in  her  erect  bear- 
ing as  she  crossed  to  him  ;  her  long  sdft  dress,  of  a 
dark  green  color,  making  her  fair  skin  fairer  and 
her  chestnut  hair  warmer  in  tint.  The  visitor  was 
not  only  the  minister  whose  face  and  manner  she 
liked ;  he  was  the  relative  of  the  person  who  had 
given  her  years  of  annoyance.  He  was  her  go- 
between  in  a  matter  which  she  was  in  scornful 
haste  to  have  ended,  and  in  spite  of  her  realization 
that  he  was  doing  her  a  favor,  she  associated  him 
perforce  with  her  beneficiary,  who  in  her  own  mind 
she  had  decided  was  a  small-souled,  ungrateful, 
and  whining  individual. 

She  gave  him  her  lovely  hand,  however,  and 
thanked  him  for  coming. 

"  Had  it  not  been  for  Dr.  Joy's  funeral,"  he 
returned,  "I  should  have  been  here  yesterday, 
as  I  received  a  letter  from  mv  cousin  in  the  morn- 
ing." 

"  Yes  ?  "  said  Elise,  seating  herself  near  him  and 
taking  a  screen  to  shield  her  face  from  the  wood 
fire,  which  burned  these  May  mornings  in  the  little 
room  where  she  received  him.  "  Dr.  Joy's  death 
was  a  very  sad  event,"  she  added.  "  Miss  Red- 
mond is  at  the  house  to-day.  I  believe  Miss  Flower 
is  very  much  overcome." 

"  Yes ; "  Mr.  Terriss  nodded  gravely.     "  Phyllis 


68      THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

has  had  a  great  loss,  and  like  all  young  people  she 
thinks  now  she  cannot  bear  it ;  but  she  will  dis- 
cover that  human  endurance  is  very  elastic." 

"  Her  uncle  seemed  very  fond  of  her,"  said 
Elise. 

"  Yes,  yes,  indeed.  It  was  a  father's  fondness 
that  he  gave  her.  They  will  miss  him  greatly. 
Mrs.  Sherritt,  the  housekeeper,  feels  quite  borne 
down  by  the  responsibility  left  upon  her,  for  the 
doctor  was  hardly  more  than  a  child  in  business 
matters,  and  has  left  nothing  to  speak  of.  She 
looks  at  the  practical  side,  poor  woman,  although 
she  sincerely  mourns  the  doctor,  to  whom  she  was 
faithfully  attached." 

"  Yes,"  returned  Mrs.  Redmond.  "  I  believe  I 
saw  Mrs.  Sherritt  the  day  I  called  upon  you.  Do 
you  say,"  she  went  on  abruptly,  "  you  have  received 
a  letter  from  Terriss  Chester  regarding  my  propo- 
sition?" 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Redmond.  What  I  wrote  him  was 
something  like  this :  The  daughter  of  Mr.  Beck- 
with  has  communicated  with  me  as  your  relative, 
in  order  to  make  known  to  you  her  opinion  that 
you  are  entitled  to  a  part  of  the  property  you  ex- 
pected to  inherit,  and  to  express  her  willingness  to 
give  you  the  portion  she  considers  fair." 

Elise  nodded  coldly.  "  You  conveyed  the  cor- 
rect idea,  Mr.  Terriss.  I  thank  you  very  much. 
The  lawyers  I  employ  in  Boston  are  Deen  &  Far- 
rington.  I  will  see  them  very  soon  and  "  — 

"  One  moment,  Mrs.  Redmond."     The  minister 


A   SHARP  REBUFF.  69 

changed  his  position.  "  Terriss  thanks  you  very 
much,  but  he  declines." 

Elise  drew  her  head  slightly  backward  "  He 
declines,"  she  repeated  haughtily. 

"  Yes.  He  would  rather  not  be  under  such 
obligation." 

Mrs.  Redmond's  breath  came  faster.  "  Where 
is  the  obligation  ?  "  she  demanded.  "  I  fear,  after 
all,  you  did  not  make  it  quite  clear,  Mr.  Terriss. 
I  am  not  doing  this  as  an  act  of  friendship  to 
him.  It  is  a  matter  between  me  and  my  own  con- 
science." 

Mr.  Terriss  smiled  at  the  fire.  "I  am  quite  sure 
that  I  did  make  that  clear,"  he  replied. 

"  He  must  accept  it,"  said  Elise,  repressing  her 
excitement.  "  I  have  been  bored  —  pardon  the 
expression  applied  to  a  relative  of  yours,  Mr.  Ter- 
riss —  by  that  person  ever  since  my  poor  father's 
death,  which  may  even  have  been  hastened  by  his 
ward's  obstinacy.  I  insist  upon  being  able  to  dis- 
miss him  from  my  mind  and  life." 

The  minister  looked  into  her  shining  eyes.  "  I 
am  sure  nothing  need  hinder  you  from  that  now," 
he  said. 

"  Why,  certainly  I  am  hindered.  Terriss  can  go 
on  considering  himself  abused." 

"  How  ?  Since  you  have  offered  reparation  and 
he  has  refused  it." 

Mrs.  Redmond  looked  down  and  reflected. 
"  Perhaps,"  she  said  suddenly,  looking  up, "  I  ought 
to  have  offered  him  half.  I  will  offer  him  half." 


70  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Mr.  Terriss,  who  had  been  conscious  of  some 
amusement  at  the  beauty's  iinperiousness,  began  to 
realize  how  fully  she  was  in  earnest. 

"  I  think  you  exaggerate  your  duty  in  this  mat- 
ter, Mrs.  Redmond.  You  are  in  no  way  to  blame 
for  the  circumstances  of  the  case.  Had  you  and 
Terriss  been  so  situated  that  you  grew  up  together 
in  the  affectionate  relations  which  sometimes  exist 
between  adopted  brothers  and  sisters,  it  might  be 
now  that,  even  though  Terriss  had  quarreled  with 
your  father,  you  could  find  it  in  you  to  offer  him 
his  share  of  the  inheritance  from  a  loving  heart ; 
and  then  he  might  accept  it,  but "  — 

Elise  flashed  a  blue  glance  at  the  speaker. 
"Does  he  expect  me  to  love  him,  indeed?"  she 
exclaimed. 

"  Oh,  no ;  not  at  all,"  replied  the  minister,  trying 
not  to  smile.  "  I  have  hesitated  about  showing 
you  his  letter,  because  it  was  not  intended  for  your 
eyes  ;  also,  because  it  contains  unnecessary  per- 
sonalities like  many  letters  written  by  idle  persons ; 
and  I  do  wish  that  without  seeing  it  you  would 
consent  to  abandon  your  generous  ideas,  accepting 
my  word  for  it  that  it  will  be  useless  for  you  to 
try  to  assist  my  cousin  financially." 

"  Please  do  not  put  it  in  that  way,"  returned 
Mrs.  Redmond,  striving  for  her  usual  calmness. 
"  I  simply  insist  upon  giving  him  his  rights,  so 
that  when  the  thought  of  him  passes  through  my 
mind,  it  may  pass  through  and  not  linger  to  vex 
me." 


A   SHARP  REBUFF.  71 

Mr.  Terriss  sighed.  "  I  see  it  will  be  better  for 
you  to  read  his  letter,"  he  replied.  "  It  will  not 
make  you  more  lenient  toward  him,  but  it  will  set 
your  mind  at  rest." 

"  Then  by  all  means  let  me  see  it,"  said  Mrs. 
Redmond,  holding  out  her  hand  for  the  folded 
paper  which  the  minister  took  from  an  inside 
pocket. 

He  handed  it  to  her,  and  she  unfolded  it.  The 
writing  was  small  and  rather  stiff.  Elise's  lip 
curled  slightly  as  she  remarked  it.  The  following 
was  the  letter :  — 

HOSPITAL,  May  12. 

DEAR  COUSIN  PHILIP,  —  I  have  enjoyed  the 
memory  of  your  visit  ever  since  its  occurrence. 
Imagine  the  pleasure  I  felt  to  see  your  signature 
affixed  to  a  letter  which  I  opened  this  morning. 
Need  I  say  that  its  contents  amazed  me  ?  After 
these  years  of  silence,  that  Elise  Beckwith  should 
have  sought  you  instead  of  me,  and  should  have 
made  me,  through  a  third  party,  so  presumptuous  a 
proposition,  was  indeed  an  astonishing  discovery. 

A  mental  picture  of  my  guardian's  daughter 
rises  before  me  as  I  write.  She  must  have  been, 
perhaps,  eleven  years  of  age  when  I  saw  her  last ; 
and  so  I  see  her  now.  Arms  and  legs  of  an  appall- 
ing length  and  thinness.  Hair,  red  as  flame. 
Movement  and  manner,  awkward.  But  what  is  all 
that  now  that  she  is  a  great  heiress  ?  I  will  wager 
there  are  plenty  to  tell  her  that  she  is  graceful  as 
the  slight,  swaying  reed,  and  that  Titian  would 


72  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

have  dreamed  of  her  hair.  Alas  for  human  nature, 
why  does  not  that  satisfy  her!  Why  must  she 
search  me  out  in  order  to  pose  before  an  admiring 
public,  and  get  her  generosity  woven  into  such  a 
newspaper  article  as  delights  the  wild  and  woolly 
West  ?  No,  cousin  Philip.  Will  you  kindly  write 
to  my  would-be  benefactress  that  I  have  recently 

expired  in  the Hospital,  or,  if  you  prefer,  tell 

her  in  any  shape  which  bests  suits  your  standard 
of  combined  courtesy  and  truth  that,  when  her 
father  disowned  me  simply  because  he  could  not 
pare  and  shave  off  my  corners  to  make  me  fit  the 
mould  he  had  chosen  for  me,  I  relinquished  all 
claim  or  thought  of  the  Beckwith  dollars. 

I  am  dressed  to-day,  but  absurdly  shaky.  The 
doctor  says  I  cannot  work  for  some  time.  I  have 
not  forgotten  your  promise  to  try  to  find  me  some 
inexpensive  boarding-place,  and  was  disappointed 
that  this  letter  contained  no  word  on  the  subject. 

Shall  hope  for  another  soon.  By  the  way, 
please  don't  misunderstand  me  if  I  request  you 
not  to  refer  again  to  the  subject  of  the  Beckwith 
patronage.  I  am  a  Sybarite  with  regard  to  emo- 
tions, and  that  idea  disturbs  my  equanimity. 
Ever  sincerely  yours, 

TERRISS  CHESTER. 

Elise,  at  the  close  of  her  reading,  raised  her  eyes 
slowly  to  the  minister,  who  was  gazing  at  the  snap- 
ping logs.  She  folded  the  letter  slowly  and  care- 
fully and  passed  it  back  to  him. 


A   SHARP  REBUFF.  73 

"  Are  you  satisfied  ?"  he  asked  with  some  anxiety, 
as  he  accepted  it. 

She  gave  him  her  most  charming  smile,  and  the 
dimple  sank  in  her  flushed  cheek. 

"  Perfectly,  thank  you." 

"  He  is  not  —  not  an  unpleasant  fellow,  as  you 
might  judge  he  was  from  this,"  hesitated  Mr. 
Terriss. 

Mrs.  Redmond  made  a  deprecating  gesture.  "  I 
am  sure  it  is  deceptive  to  judge  of  persons  by  their 
letters,  and  certainly  Terriss  seems  to  have  de- 
veloped into  a  decided  character." 

"  Yes,  so  he  has,  no  doubt  of  it,"  returned  the 
minister,  pleased  and  relieved. 

"  Do  you  think  you  may  find  board  for  him  in 
Snowdon?"  pursued  Mrs.  Redmond. 

'*  Well,  I  doubted,  —  on  your  account.  If  you 
would  object "  — 

"  You  must  remember  I  should  not  be  myself  at 
all  to  him,"  she  replied  archly.  "  I  have  changed 
my  name,  and  if  you  do  not  betray  me,  do  you 
think  from  his  description  of  Elise  Beckwith  that 
he  will  recognize  me  ?  " 

Mr.  Terriss  gazed  at  her  with  dawning  surprise. 
"  Surely  not.  Do  you  mean  that  you  could  keep 
your  identity  a  secret  ?  " 

Elise  raised  her  eyebrows.  "  Why  not  ?  If  you 
are  going  to  bring  him  to  Snowdon,  do  you  not 
think  from  the  tone  of  his  letter  that  it  would  be 
less  awkward  for  me  to  be  simply  Mrs.  Redmond 
to  him  in  case  we  should  meet  ?  " 


74  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  But  I  am  not  willing  he  should  retain  that 
rough  judgment  of  your  motives,"  said  the  minister 
warmly.  "  I  want  him  to  know  you.  I  want  him 
to  see  how  wrong  "  — 

"  No,  no ;  trust  me,  Mr.  Terriss,  these  deep  pre- 
judices are  not  easily  removed.  Please  say  nothing 
of  me." 

"  Well,  if  you  wish  it,"  assented  the  other  re- 
luctantly. "  Of  course,  you  may  never  meet,"  he 
added. 

"  Perhaps  not,"  returned  Elise,  and  the  minister 
began  to  consider  that  possibly  her  expression  was 
too  brilliant,  her  eyes  too  radiant. 

"  The  question  is,"  he  continued,  "  of  a  boarding- 
place.  My  own  house  is  not  one  where  a  stranger 
could  be  made  comfortable,  owing  to  Mrs.  Terriss' 
inability.  I  asked  Dr.  Joy,  a  few  days  before  his 
death,  as  to  whether  he  would  be  willing  to  take 
Terriss,  and  he  had  not  given  me  an  answer.  I 
can  put  it  to  Mrs.  Sherritt,  at  any  rate.  She  will 
know  what  decision  to  make.  I  feel  bound  to  do 
the  best  I  can  for  Terriss :  and  Mrs.  Sherritt  is  an 
excellent  cook."  Mr.  Terriss  rose.  "  You  have  no 
objection  to  his  coming  to  Snowdon,  I  under- 
stand?" 

"  Provided  you  keep  my  secret,"  replied  Elise, 
with  a  spirited  glance. 

"  I  see  no  harm  in  doing  so.  As  you  say,  it 
might  be  awkward.  You  will  feel  relieved  now,  I 
hope,  Mrs.  Redmond.  You  have  certainly  done 
your  whole  duty." 


A   SHARP  REBUFF.  75 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Terriss,  when  can  one  feel  that  one's 
whole  duty  is  done  ?  Perhaps  there  remains  even 
more  due  from  me  to  your  cousin.  In  any  case,  I 
thank  you  very  much  for  your  assistance  in  this 
matter.  It  might  have  dawdled  along  over  weeks 
of  time.  Now,  a  few  days  have  been  sufficient  for 
a  decisive  settlement." 

She  held  out  her  hand  to  him,  and  he  took  it. 
"Mrs.  Redmond,"  he  said  simply  and  earnestly, 
"  I  congratulate  you  on  your  tact  and  self-com- 
mand. I  had  feared  you  would  be  vexed  by  this 
turn  of  affairs.  If  I  can  ever  be  of  any  service  to 
you  in  future,  command  me.  I  wish  you  good- 
morning." 

He  went,  and  Elise  stood  in  the  centre  of  her 
dainty  room,  her  breast  heaving  with  its  emotion. 
Her  eyes  and  cheeks  were  still  bright,  but  her 
mouth  no  longer  smiled,  and  her  hands  clenched 
themselves.  She  had  never  been  so  angry  in  her 
life.  At  last  she  began  walking  up  and  down  the 
floor.  "  Is  it  for  this  that  I  have  left  my  friends  ?  " 
she  reflected.  "Is  it  for  this  I  have  furnished 
Beech  Knoll,  have  lain  awake  through  long  hours 
of  the  night,  have  poured  out  my  heart's  sympathy  ? 
Has  my  life  for  years  borne  a  vague  shadow,  only 
for  this?" 

She  caught  sight  of  her  reflection  in  a  glass 
above  the  fire,  and  suddenly  paused,  approached, 
and  looked  into  her  own  eyes. 

"  Is  none  of  it  true,  Elise  Beckwith  ?  "  she  de- 
manded. "  Have  you  not  through  it  all  enjoyed 


76  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

the  effect  of  your  own  generosity,  posed  for  your 
own  admiration,  and  patronized  the  unknown 
youth?" 

Her  cheeks  tingled. 

"  He  should  not  have  been  the  one  to  tell  me  of 
it.  That  is  too  cruel,"  she  exclaimed,  turning  from 
the  glass.  Then  she  rang  the  bell. 

"  Have  them  bring  Star  around,"  she  said  to  the 
servant,  for  her  mood  must  be  changed  before 
Rebecca's  return. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   MOTH   AND   THE   CANDLE. 

Miss  REBECCA'S  first  impulse  upon  discovering 
the  minister's  identity  was  to  run  away  from  Snow- 
don,  but  a  number  of  practical  questions  arose  to 
hinder  that  summary  disposition  of  an  embarrass- 
ing situation.  First,  where  should  she  run  to? 
Second,  what  excuse  should  she  give  for  going 
there?  Third,  what  would  Elise  do  without  her? 
Fourth,  should  she  not  make  herself  ridiculous  in 
the  eyes  of  the  man  who  had  given  her  such  calm 
greeting  ? 

"  But  he  was  prepared,"  thought  poor  Rebecca, 
"  while  I  — I  was  cruelly  unprepared." 

The  outcome  of  all  her  reflection  was  that  she 
decided  to  remain  where  she  was,  and,  according  to 
her  old  recipe  for  endurance  of  trial,  "  live  by  the 
day." 

Rebecca,  without  herself  suspecting  it,  was  a 
strong  character ;  and  when  she  had  once  made  up 
her  mind  that  it  was  best  for  her  to  settle  down 
within  walking  distance  of  Philip  Terriss  and  his 
wife,  she  repined  no  longer,  but  systematically 
turned  away  from  her  own  tremors. 

The  thing  that  horrified  her  most,  as  revealing 
a  wicked  heart,  was  the  sudden  repugnance  which 


78  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

sprang  up  in  her  toward  the  pale  invalid  with 
whom  she  had  spent  that  quiet  hour. 

"  The  poor  creature  whom  I  would  innocently 
have  robbed,"  she  thought  remorsefully.  "  I  hope 
I  can  help  to  cheer  her  life."  Dr.  Joy's  sudden 
death  turned  her  thoughts  with  a  shock  into  an- 
other channel,  and  for  a  few  days  she  had  heart 
and  hands  filled  with  care  of  and  for  Phyllis  and 
Roxana.  As  Elise  had  said,  she  was  with  them  on 
the  morning  of  Mr.  Terriss'  call,  and  as  she  was 
coming  away  from  the  house,  she  met  the  minister 
in  the  street.  She  felt  a  great  bound  of  the  heart, 
which  sent  the  color  into  her  face,  as  he  lifted  his 
hat  and  stopped. 

"  Good -morning,  Rebecca,"  he  said.  "  Are  you 
coming  from  Dr.  Joy's  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  How  are  they  this  morning  ?  " 

"  The  passionate  stage  of  Phyllis's  grief  is  passed. 
She  is  like  a  subdued,  gentle  child,  this  morning," 
replied  Rebecca.  "  Roxana,  poor  woman,  feels 
quite  bewildered  by  her  responsibility.  She  is  be- 
ginning to  wonder  how  they  shall  live,  for  it  seems 
Phyllis  has  almost  nothing." 

"  I  wonder  if  they  would  take  a  boarder,"  said 
Mr.  Terriss.  "  I  was  on  my  way  now  to  ask 
Mrs.  Sherritt." 

"  I  think  they  will  be  very  glad  to  do  so,"  replied 
Rebecca  earnestly. 

"  It  is  a  cousin  of  mine,  who  wishes  to  come  out 
here." 


THE   MOTH  AND   THE  CANDLE.  79 

"  How  fortunate  !  I  hope  you  will  go  and  talk 
it  over  with  Roxana.  Why  should  not  Snowdon 
be  a  good  place  for  summer  boarders  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  might,"  returned  the  minister ;  then 
he  lifted  his  hat  and  passed  on,  and  Rebecca  real- 
ized with  a  sense  of  relief  that  their  first  interview 
was  over. 

"  I  ought  to  have  asked  for  her,"  she  thought, 
with  a  pang  of  conscience.  She  had  not  forgotten 
the  civility.  She  had  neglected  it  purposely,  and 
she  knew  it.  "  He  loves  her,  he  is  devoted  to  her. 
He  has  done  his  duty  and  he  has  his  reward.  Let 
me  do  mine,"  she  said  to  herself,  as  she  hurried 
along  the  road. 

She  turned  her  thoughts  resolutely  to  Roxana 
and  her  quandaries.  Supposing  this  proposed 
boarder  should  be  —  Why  had  she  not  asked 
him  ?  Perhaps  it  really  was  Elise's  adopted  bro- 
ther, who  had  turned  out  so  strangely  to  be  the 
minister's  cousin.  She  would  ask  Elise  immedi- 
ately ;  but  upon  reaching  home  no  Elise  was  there. 
She  had  gone  to  ride,  the  servant  said. 

In  about  an  hour,  Mrs.  Redmond  returned.  "  I 
have  had  a  glorious  gallop,"  she  announced,  com- 
ing fresh  and  rosy  into  the  joint  sitting-room,  where 
she  and  Rebecca  spent  most  of  their  time  indoors. 
"  How  are  your  poor  friends  ?  " 

"  Adjusting  themselves  to  the  situation  as  best 
they  may,"  replied  Miss  Redmond,  looking  up 
from  her  sewing.  "  I  met  Mr.  Terriss  on  his  way 
there  with  some  news  that  I  think  will  cheer  them. 


80      THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

He  has  a  boarder  for  them.  He  said  it  was  a 
cousin.  I  was  wondering,  Elise,"  in  a  lowered, 
confidential  tone,  "  if  it  might  be  your  gentleman." 

Mrs.  Redmond  threw  herself  back  in  the  laziest 
of  postures  on  a  deep  divan  among  the  large  dull- 
colored  cushions. 

"  I  am  not  the  possessor  of  a  gentleman,  my  dear 
Rebecca." 

"  I  mean  your  brother." 

"  Well,  I  presume  he  is  a  man  and  a  brother  in 
one  sense.  It  is  Terriss  Chester,  if  that  is  what 
you  mean." 

"  You  don't  say  so !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Redmond. 

"  There  is  not  the  least  occasion  for  your  looking 
radiant,  Rebecca." 

"  Why,  I  think  it  is  just  like  a  story,"  answered 
Miss  Redmond.  "  That  you  and  this  Terriss  should 
be  united  after  " 

"  Re — becca,  will  you  clip  the  wings  of  your 
fancy  before  it  leads  you  further  astray !  "  Elise 
smiled.  "  Mr.  Terriss  has  been  here  to  tell  me 
that  Mr.  Chester  refuses  the  property." 

Miss  Redmond  laid  down  her  work.  "Is  it 
possible  !  "  she  ejaculated.  "  How  do  you  feel  about 
that?" 

"  Why  should  I  feel  at  all  ?  I  have  done  my 
part  in  offering  it.  He  has  seen  fit  to  refuse  it. 
More  than  that  he  has  shown  an  ungrateful," — here 
Mrs.  Redmond's  voice  trembled,  —  "a  low  bitterness 
toward  the  Beckwith  family,  which  makes  it  impos- 
sible that  we  should  ever  be  friends." 


THE  MOTH  AND   THE  CANDLE.  81 

"  Then,  dear  me,  he  ought  not  to  come  out  here, 
and  yet  Roxana  does  need  it  so,"  said  Rebecca, 
much  troubled. 

"  Why  need  he  know  who  I  am  ?  "  asked  Elise, 
lazily  switching  her  skirt  with  her  riding  whip,  as 
she  watched  her  sister-in-law's  face. 

"  Why,  sure  enough !  Why  need  he  ?  "  Miss 
Redmond's  eyes  grew  larger  as  she  realized  the 
scope  of  the  other's  suggestion.  "  He  does  not 
know  your  married  name  ;  you  said  so.  We  need 
not  say  a  word,  and  he  could  n't  remember  you." 

"  I  think  not,"  said  Elise  briefly,  recalling  the 
written  description. 

"  It  would  not  make  you  uncomfortable  to  have 
him  in  town  ?  "  asked  Miss  Redmond  doubtfully. 

"  I  am  perfectly  willing  he  should  come,"  re- 
turned the  other,  with  an  inscrutable  smile. 

"  Well,  it 's  just  as  good  and  kind  of  you  as  it 
can  be,  dear,"  said  Rebecca  warmly.  "  It  will  be  a 
help  to  Roxana.  By  the  way,  here  is  a  letter  I  got 
out  of  the  post-office.  I  laid  it  on  the  table  so  I 
should  not  forget  it." 

She  handed  the  envelope  to  Elise,  who  glanced 
at  the  writing.  "  Probably  a  bill,"  she  remarked, 
as  she  opened  it.  "  Why,  no,  it  is  not,"  glancing 
at  the  beginning  of  the  letter  and  quickly  turning 
to  the  signature.  "  Why,"  with  a  laugh,  "  it  is 
from  Tony  Bellows ;  how  did  he  find  me?  " 

"  Bellows,  Bellows,"  repeated  Rebecca,  looking 
at  her  pensively.  "  I  do  not  remember  any  Bel- 
lows. Was  he  the  one  before  the  last  ?  " 


82  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH   KNOLL. 

Elise  laughed  again.  She  was  accustomed  to 
her  sister-in-law's  vague  terms  for  her  admirers. 

"  No.  Don't  you  remember  young  Bellows,  that 
comical  creature  that  followed  us  around  so  when 
we  were  at  Monterey?  I  did  not  know  he  had 
come  back  to  Boston." 

"  There  were  so  many  creatures,"  said  Rebecca 
plaintively,  "  and  they  always  followed  us  around." 

"  But  Tony  was  young  and  —  I  do  not  wish  to 
be  slangy,  but  he  was  fresh  ;  a  blonde  boy,  who 
wore  six  neckties  a  day.  Oh  !  "  becoming  grave, 
with  sudden  recollection,  "  it  was  he  who  told  me 
where  Terriss  was ;  and  now  he  has  found  me,  the 
troublesome  fellow.  Let  me  see  what  he  says." 

BOSTON,  May  14,  18 — . 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  REDMOND:  — 

A  friend  in  San  Francisco,  whom  I  shall  bless  to 
my  dying  day,  has  told  me  that  you  have  come  to 
live  in  Snowdon,  Mass.  I  immediately  tried  to 
find  the  place  on  the  map.  It  was  not  there.  Why 
in  the  name  of  all  that  is  sensible  should  you 
choose  to  live  in  a  place  that  is  not  on  the  map  ? 
Perhaps  to  bring  the  town  into  prominence. 
There,  I  meant  that  to  be  a  graceful  compliment, 
but  I  slipped  up  somehow.  Take  the  will  for  the 
deed,  please.  Now,  when  are  you  going  to  let  me 
come  to  see  you  ?  I  tell  you  frankly  that  I  shall 
come,  and  if  you  do  not  set  a  date  I  shall  have  to 
surprise  you. 

I  have  not  seen  Mr.  Chester  since  my  return. 


THE   MOTH  AND   THE  CANDLE.  83 

I  am  sorry  to  find  that  he  is  ill,  and  has  had  to  lose 
his  position.  I  remember  you  took  an  interest  in 
him,  and  the  next  time  I  see  him  I  shall  tell  him 
that  you  are  a  near  neighbor  now,  and  would  like  a 
call  from  him  for  your  father's  sake,  when  he  is 
able.  Shall  I  ? 

I  shall  watch  the  mails  eagerly  until  I  hear  from 
you.  You  cannot  think  how  delighted  I  am  at  the 
prospect  of  seeing  you  again.  Please  address  me 
at  the  bank.  Ever  faithfully  yours, 

A.  BELLOWS. 

"  How  provoking !  "  exclaimed  Elise.  "  That 
blundering  boy  may  give  me  no  end  of  annoyance. 
I  shall  have  to  telegraph  him  in  self-defense." 

"  Well,  here  's  some  paper,"  replied  Rebecca 
briskly.  "  Do  send  him  word.  I  can't  help  think- 
ing of  Roxana  and  how  much  she  needs  a  few  dol- 
lars a  week." 

Mrs.  Redmond  wrote  and  dispatched  the  fol- 
lowing :  — 

MR.  ANTHONY  BELLOWS:  — 

Come  out  on  morning  train.  Will  meet  you. 
Say  nothing  of  me  to  Mr.  Chester. 

MRS.  REDMOND. 

The  next  day,  Mrs.  Redmond  herself  drove  to 
the  station  to  meet  the  expected  guest.  She  had 
little  fear  that  he  would  disappoint  her,  and  smiled 
to  herself  as  she  pictured  the  surprise  and  delight 


84  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

with  which  the  young  man  had  probably  received 
her  flatteringly  prompt  reply. 

The  incoming  train  had  scarcely  stopped  when 
the  familiar,  broad-shouldered  figure  stepped  from 
it,  and  the  delight  Elise  had  fancied  was  plainly 
visible  in  the  eager  face,  when  he  turned  and  per- 
ceived the  fair  driver  of  the  smart  new  equipage. 

"  Mrs.  Redmond,  this  is  awfully  good  of  you  !  " 
he  exclaimed,  hurrying  forward  and  shaking  the 
hand  she  offered  him.  "  If  you  will  wait  one  min- 
ute —  I  brought  a  handful  of  flowers  "  — 

Mrs.  Redmond  smiled  as  he  turned  away.  She 
knew  Tony's  idea  of  a  few  flowers,  and  was  not 
surprised  to  see  him  return  from  a  trip  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  baggage-car  with  a  formidable  box, 
over  which  his  blonde  face  looked  ga}rly. 

"  Just  the  weather  when  flowers  ought  to  grow 
if  they  don't,"  he  remarked.  "  Beautiful,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  It  is,  Tony ;  but  where  are  you  going  to  put 
that  Saratoga  trunk?  When  will  you  learn  not 
to  get  everything  by  wholesale  ?  " 

"  Don't  worry  !  plenty  of  room,"  returned  Tony, 
balancing  the  box  behind  the  seat,  on  the  edge  of 
the  cart.  "Now,  this  is  fine,"  he  added,  taking 
the  place  beside  his  hostess,  who  turned  her  spir- 
ited ponies  toward  home. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,"  returned  Elise. 

She  found  that  she  was  very  glad.  Her  associa- 
tions with  her  guest  were  all  of  pleasant  places, 
and  no  one  could  fail  to  be  glad  to  see  such  an  in- 
carnated sunbeam  as  he  was. 


THE  MOTH  AND   THE   CANDLE.  85 

"  What  jolly  little  ponies  !  "  he  remarked. 

"  Yes,  they  are  pretty.  I  am  not  much  ac- 
quainted with  them  yet.  They  are  new.  You 
will  find  everything  new,  except  the  house  itself 
and  some  of  the  pictures." 

"  Of  course  you  know  I  'm  still  awfully  puzzled 
as  to  why  you  are  here  at  all ;  but  I  can  only  con- 
gratulate myself  that  Snowdon  is  so  near  Boston." 

"Why  shouldn't  one  come  here?  Doesn't  it 
strike  you  as  a  pretty  town  ?  " 

"  Not  bad ;  but  then  all  these  villages  are  pretty 
enough.  That  explains  nothing.  It  isn't  even 
the  season  to  go  into  the  country  to  board." 

"  But  I  am  not  boarding." 

"  Great  heavens,  Mrs.  Redmond  !  "  and  the 
genial  face  fell.  "  You  don't  mean  to  say  you  are 
married  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no,  not  married,  only  settled.  I  have 
bought  a  place  and  gone  to  housekeeping." 

"•  Well,  the  mystery  increases."  They  were 
driving  rapidly  through  the  business  street  of  the 
town,  and  Mr.  Bellows  observed  that  every  pedes- 
trian turned  to  look  after  themselves  and  their 
equipage.  "  Do  you  remark  that  we  are  astonish- 
ing the  natives?  "  he  continued.  "  I  feel  as  though 
I  were  making  a  triumphal  entry  into  this  peace- 
ful hamlet.  I  am,  too,  you  know.  You  have  no 
idea  how  it  puffed  me  up  to  receive  your  invitation 
so  promptly." 

His  hostess  smiled.  u  I  might  not  have  been 
quite  so  sudden  with  my  summons,  had  it  not  hap- 


86  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

pened  that  I  was  especially  desirous  that  Mr.  Ches- 
ter should  not  know  I  was  here ;  and  you  threat- 
ened to  betray  me." 

"  Oh,  come  now,  that 's  too  bad,  Mrs.  Redmond. 
I  have  been  flattering  myself  for  nothing,  then." 

"  It  is  absurd  for  you  to  try  to  look  plaintive, 
Tony,"  laughed  Elise.  "  You  never  could,  even 
when  you  were  seven.  By  the  way,  you  have  no 
idea  how  surprisingly  like  your  seven-year-old  self 
you  look  this  minute." 

"  I  don't  believe  a  word  of  it.  I  know  you  only 
pretend  to  remember  me  at  that  age  for  the  sake 
of  taking  me  down  whenever  you  feel  like  it." 

"  I  do  remember  you  perfectly.  Of  course  I  do. 
Why,  I  was  ten,  you  know." 

"  There  you  are,  at  it  again.  I  don't  see  why 
you  are  always  so  determined  that  I  shall  remem- 
ber you  were  ten." 

"  You  had  the  prettiest  yellow  curls,"  continued 
Elise  ruthlessly,  "  and  when  you  were  very  good- 
natured,  you  used  to  let  me  brush  them  over  my 
finger." 

"  I  will  let  them  grow  again,  if  you  will  promise 
to  do  that." 

Mrs.  Redmond  laughed.  "  Would  n't  you  look 
comical  ?  " 

"  No  funnier  than  those  old  cavalier  fellows ; 
but  we  are  way  off  the  subject.  I  say  it  is  too  bad 
of  you  to  get  me  out  here  in  this  glorious  weather, 
feeling  as  jolly  as  a  grig  over  my  invitation,  only 
to  tell  me  it  is  on  Chester's  account." 


THE  MOTH  AND   THE  CANDLE.  87 

"  But  I  was  just  about  to  explain  that  I  simply 
meant  I  would  have  written  you  instead  of  tele- 
graphing, had  it  not  been  for  Mr.  Chester.  You 
remember  I  told  you  that  when  a  lad  he  was  my 
father's  ward.  Well,  I  have  learned  since  I  saw 
you  that  he  has  bitter  feelings  against  the  Beck- 
withs,  and  I  do  not  wish  that  he  should  know  one 
of  the  family  is  here.  The  world  is  small ;  I  may 
chance  to  meet  him  some  day,  and  I  should  wish 
it  to  be  as  Mrs.  Redmond  merely.  He  does  not 
know  of  my  marriage,  and  he  does  not  know  me 
by  sight." 

"  Then  you  mean  "  — 

"  I  mean  that  you  are  never  to  speak  of  me  to 
him,  under  pain  of  my  eternal  displeasure." 

Tony  nodded.  "  Agreed.  Luckily,  I  missed 
going  to  see  him  yesterday,  as  I  intended  to  do. 
Had  I  gone,  I  should  certainly  have  told  him  all 
about  you.  Poor  old  fellow !  he  is  down  on  his 
luck  just  now.  If  I  had  been  here  when  he  fell 
ill,  I  should  have  offered  my  services  to  the  gov- 
ernor to  fill  his  place  in  the  bank  until  he  was  able 
to  take  it  again." 

u  AVhat  a  pity  you  were  not !  I  imagine  it  will 
take  some  such  exigency  to  force  you  into  active 
service/' 

Tony  flushed,  pink  as  the  flower  in  his  button- 
hole. 

"I  don't  know  why  you  should  suppose  that. 
Do  you  think  I  have  not  put  in  my  time  well  since 
I  left  college?" 


88  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  I    think  you   have   enjoyed   yourself   exceed- 


"  Is  that  any  harm  ?  I  have  been  seeing  the 
world  as  a  part  of  my  education.  I  am  sure  I 
have  met  you  in  a  good  many  parts  of  it." 

Mrs.  Redmond  laughed.  "  True  enough  ;  but 
you  see  I  have  settled  down  now,  and  you  must  do 
the  same." 

Phyllis  Flower,  walking  to  the  village  on  an  er- 
rand for  Roxana,  looked  up  from  a  dejected  rev- 
erie at  the  sound  of  the  horses'  feet. 

She  forgot  everything  for  the  moment  in  admi- 
ration of  the  novel  sight  of  the  stylish  equipage. 
Instantly  she  perceived  that  it  was  Mrs.  Redmond 
driving,  and  that  beside  her  sat  a  strange  man. 
The  lady  was  smiling,  her  companion  talking,  and 
the  whole  bright  effect  made  Phyllis  shrink  from 
being  recognized,  with  the  wish  that  she  had 
chosen  another  road. 

As  she  was  in  the  act  of  dropping  her  eyes, 
however,  she  saw  something  which  made  her  lift 
her  hand  to  attract  Mrs.  Redmond's  attention. 

The  latter  saw  who  it  was  who  beckoned  her, 
and  drawing  in  her  ponies,  turned  them  toward  the 
walk.  The  figure  in  black  stood  still  and  waited. 

u  Excuse  me,  Mrs.  Redmond,"  said  Phyllis,  col- 
oring as  she  felt  the  stranger's  eyes  upon  her, 
"  your  baggage  just  dropped  off  into  the  road." 

Mrs.  Redmond  looked  bewildered  a  moment, 
and  Mr.  Bellows  turned  around. 


THE  MOTH  AND    THE  CANDLE.  89 

"  It  is  the  flowers,"  he  remarked,  lifting  his  hat. 
"  I  will  get  them,"  and  he  jumped  to  the  ground. 

Mrs.  Redmond  laughed.  "  Thank  you,  Miss 
Flower.  Let  me  introduce  to  you  my  friend,  Mr. 
Bellows.  He  has  just  brought  me  a  handful  of 
flowers  from  Boston,  he  says.  I  do  not  know 
whose  hand  he  is  libeling,  mine  or  his  own." 

"  I  am  awfully  obliged,  Miss  Flower,"  said  Tony. 
"  You  see,  the  box  is  so  light  we  did  not  hear  it." 

"  I  do  hope  it  is  not  broken,"  said  Phyllis,  has- 
tening with  him  to  where  the  box  lay  in  the  road. 

"Not  badly.  String  snapped,  that  is  all.  I 
wish  you  would  take  some,  Miss  Flower.  There 
are  a  good  many,  and  Mrs.  Redmond  does  chaff  a 
fellow  so,"  and  Tony  took  out  a  handful  of  rich 
La  France  roses  and  held  them  up. 

Phyllis's  eyes  shone  as  she  took  them.  "Ought 
I  to  accept  them  ?  "  she  exclaimed.  "  How  beau- 
tiful they  are !  "  and  she  eagerly  inhaled  their  fra- 
grance. 

Tony  was  delighted  with  her  pleasure.  "  Are  n't 
they  the  loveliest  things  in  the  world?"  he  re- 
turned. "  I  am  so  glad  you  like  them.  I  won- 
der if  I  can  tie  up  this  thing  again ;  "  and  he  fum- 
bled at  the  broken  string. 

"  Let  me  try,"  said  Phyllis. 

"  Thank  you.  I  '11  carry  it  over  to  the  walk. 
The  dust  here  will  ruin  your  dress.  Black  shows 
it  so." 

The  girl's  face  fell  at  this  reference.  Uncle 
Doctor  had  not  been  gone  a  week,  and  here  she 


90  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

had  been  feeling  eager,  young,  happy  again.  Her 
transparent  face  showed  the  sympathetic  Tony  that 
something  was  wrong,  and  he  stood  by  in  troubled 
silence  while  she  deftly  pieced  and  tied  the  cord. 

"  How  cleverly  you  did  that,"  he  said,  as  she 
stood  up.  "  I  'm  sure,  I  'm  awfully  obliged." 

"  You  are  very  welcome,"  she  replied  gravely. 
"I  thank  you  very  much  for  the  roses,"  and  she 
bowed  to  him,  and  then  to  Mrs.  Redmond,  who, 
half  turning  in  her  seat,  was  watching  the  proceed- 
ings with  much  amusement ;  then  the  girl  went 
quickly  on  her  way. 

"  I  know  you  are  happier  for  that  little  contre- 
temps" said  Mrs.  Redmond,  as  Bellows  returned 
with  the  box.  "  You  have  given  flowers  to  a  new 
person,  and  I  know  the  satisfaction  that  gives  you, 
you  good-natured  boy ;  but  how  do  you  suppose  I 
like  to  have  my  flowers  presented  to  other  peo- 
ple?" 

Tony  stepped  into  the  cart.  "  Like  seeks  like, 
you  know,"  he  replied.  "  Did  n't  you  say  her 
name  was  Flower  ?  " 

"  But  you  do  not  look  happy,  after  all.  What 
is  the  matter  ?  " 

"  I  made  that  girl  feel  bad,  somehow,"  returned 
Tony,  clasping  the  box  for  its  safety  as  the  ponies 
started. 

Elise  smiled.  "  Oh,  no  ;  she  is  a  stiff-mannered 
little  Puritan  maiden,  that  is  all." 

Tony's  face  lit  up  happily.  "  Then  she  has  n't 
lost  anybody  lately,  —  any  friend  ?  " 


THE  MOTH  AND   THE   CANDLE.  91 

"Yes,  she  has.  Her  adopted  father,  about  a 
week  ago." 

Tony  groaned.  "  That  is  what  I  was  afraid  of. 
That  is  like  me,  exactly.  I  never  yet  lost  an  op- 
portunity of  saying  the  wrong  thing.  I  referred 
to  her  being  in  black,  by  way  of  bringing  in  a  lit- 
tle pleasing  small  talk,  and  I  saw  the  light  go  out 
of  her  face  in  a  flash." 

"  Do  not  let  that  worry  you,"  said  Elise,  smil- 
ing at  his  despair.  "  She  is  sensitive  just  now; 
but  the  roses  will  comfort  her.  Probably  you  are 
the  first  man  who  ever  gave  her  any.  Now,  in  a 
minute  more,  you  will  see  Beech  Knoll." 

"  Oh,  that  is  the  name  !  Did  you  buy  the  place 
on  account  of  its  name  ?  " 

"  Wait  and  see,"  returned  Elise  briefly. 

Soon  they  entered  the  broad  gate,  and  the  guest 
looked  about  him  critically. 

"  Fishing  ?  "  he  asked  with  interest,  espying  the 
sparkle  of  the  river. 

"  I  think  so ;  but  is  it  not  attractive,  with  all 
these  old  trees,  and  the  high  and  dry  land  ?  Do 
you  still  wonder?" 

"  But  you  are  not  a  hermit,  to  be  satisfied  with 
scenery,"  objected  Tony,  unconvinced. 

"  Certainly  not ;  else  you  would  not  have  been 
invited  here."  Mrs.  Redmond  gave  the  reins  into 
the  hands  of  a  man  who  was  waiting,  and  preceded 
her  guest  into  the  house. 

Rebecca  rose  from  her  seat  by  a  window,  whence 
she  had  been  watching  their  approach. 


92  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Oh,  to  be  sure,"  she  said  calmly,  as  Tony 
approached  her,  his  hand  outstretched,  "  I  do  re- 
member you.  You  are  the  one  we  met  first  in 
Italy,  who  turned  out  to  be  the  brother  of  one  of 
Elise's  schoolmates." 

"  Had  you  forgotten  me,  Miss  Redmond  ?  "  ex- 
claimed Tony.  "  What  an  unlucky  fellow  I  am !  " 
but  his  face  belied  his  words,  for  Elise  had  uncov- 
ered the  box  at  last,  and  was  looking-  love  and  ad- 
miration at  the  lilies  and  violets  as  she  lifted  them 
out. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
ROXANA'S  BOARDER. 

MRS.  SHERRITT  received  the  minister's  proposi- 
tion as  to  taking  a  boarder  with  prompt  assent. 

"  That  is  one  thing  I  ain't  afraid  to  try  to  do," 
she  said,  a  perceptible  lightening  of  the  anxiety  in 
her  face  ;  "  and  I  take  it  it 's  all  right  to  put  the 
doctor's  house  to  any  use  I  see  fit,  now  the  good 
man  can't  help  us  any  more." 

The  minister  glanced  at  Phyllis,  who  sat  sober- 
eyed  and  silent,  listening  to  the  conversation. 

"  I  suppose  it  is  Phyllis's  house  now,"  he  said. 

Roxana  followed  the  direction  of  his  glance  in- 
dulgently. "  Yes,  what  there  is,  is  Phyllis's ;  and 
I  'm  Phyllis's,  you  know,  and  it 's  my  business  to 
scratch  around  and  see  what  I  can  find  for  her." 

"  What  should  I  do  without  you,  I  wonder  ?  "  said 
Phyllis. 

"  You  ain't  called  upon  to  wonder  about  that," 
responded  Mrs.  Sherritt  gently.  "  About  how 
soon,  Mr.  Terriss,  would  your  cousin  want  to 
come  ?  " 

"  Probably,  the  first  day  you  could  receive  him. 
You  know  he  may  be  a  good  deal  of  trouble  at  first. 
His  meals  would  have  to  be  served  in  his  room, 
very  likely." 


94  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  All  right.  Let  him  come  Saturday,"  returned 
Roxana,  stifling  a  sigh  and  clearing  her  throat. 
"  How  are  you  getting  on  at  your  house  ?  " 

Mr.  Terriss  rose.  "  We  need  a  call  from  you, 
Mrs.  Sherritt,  when  you  can  spare  the  time.  How 
I  wish  we  could  come  and  swell  your  family !  " 

"  I  wish  you  could,"  replied  Roxana  heartily, 
"  but  I  have  n't  any  place  as  comfortable  for  Mrs. 
Terriss  as  the  rooms  she  's  got.  If  I  could  hear  of 
anybody  better  than  Lucindy,  you  should  have  her ; 
but  Snowdou  's  an  awful  hard  place  to  get  help." 

"  You  are  a  valuable  neighbor,  and  we  are  very 
grateful,  I  assure  you.  Good-by,  Phyllis  ;"  and  the 
minister  held  out  his  hand  to  the  young  girl,  who 
rose  and  put  hers  into  it.  "  I  am  glad  a  busy  time 
is  coming  for  you.  Work  is  the  greatest  blessing 
of  our  lives,  and  I  know  Roxana  can  count  on  you 
to  share  her  burdens." 

His  words  gave  Phyllis's  thoughts  a  new  bent.  It 
flashed  across  her  that  she  had  been  willing  to  let 
Roxana  do  all  the  thinking,  planning,  and  working, 
herself  content  to  do  obediently  what  was  required 
of  her,  and  nothing  more. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  looked  reflectively  out  of  the  win- 
dow after  the  minister's  retreating  figure. 

"  Well,  I  'm  in  for  it,"  she  remarked. 

"  In  for  what?"  asked  Phyllis. 

Roxana  tossed  her  head.  "'  I  was  thinkin'  out 
loud,  I  guess,"  she  continued.  "  I  was  cogitatin' 
on  the  queerness  o'  things  in  general.  How  likely 
it  is  that  folks  have  got  to  do  in  this  world  just 


ROXANA'S  BOARDER.  95 

what  they  hate  most.  I  '11  bet  a  cookie  that  Mr. 
Terms,  for  instance,  would  like  a  life  with  lots  o' 
variety,  and  that  he  is  partic'lar  about  his  victuals ; 
the  facts  bein'  that  he  must  live  in  the  country  and 
take  care  of  a  sick  wife,  and  eat  Lucindy  Bates's 
cookin'.  Now  I  would  like  to  be  delivered  from 
strange  men,  especially  sick  ones ;  and  here  I  am, 
a-welcomin'  one  right  into  my  best  chamber,  and 
calc'latin'  to  run  my  legs  off,  waitin'  on  him." 

"  I  am  going  to  do  better,  Roxana,"  said  Phyllis 
gravely. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  looked  at  her  in  surprise.  The 
girl's  eyes  were  hollow  from  weeping,  and  her 
mouth  had  lost  its  ready  smile. 

"  How  can  you  do  better,  child  ?  You  are  all 
right." 

"  You  always  said  I  was  lazy." 

"Well,  ye-es,  perhaps,  sometimes;  but  there 
ain't  a  ca^pabler  girl  in  Snowdon.  I  've  said  that, 
too.  You  're  as  smart  as  a  steel  spring,  Phyllis." 

Mrs.  Sherritt' s  words  of  praise  were  rare ;  but 
she  felt  very  tender  toward  the  girl  at  this  time. 
Phyllis  colored  faintly. 

"  Well,  I  want  you  to  let  me  help  you.  I  would 
rather  work  than  read  now." 

After  this  declaration,  Phyllis  could  not  refuse 
Roxana  when,  a  few  days  later,  she  asked  her  to  do 
an  errand  at  the  village,  although  she  dreaded  to 
go  out  and  meet  kindly,  pitying  words  and  looks. 

Upon  her  return,  she  found  Mrs.  Sherritt  on  her 
knees  scrubbing  the  kitchen  floor. 


96  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  You  ought  to  see  the  smart  turnout  that  went 
by  a  little  while  ago,"  exclaimed  the  latter.  "  Mrs. 
Redmond  has  got  a  pair  o'  ponies  that  will  make 
your  eyes  shine." 

"  I  met  them."  Phyllis  came  close  and  held  her 
fragrant  roses  before  Roxana's  face. 

"  For  the  land's  sake,  what  beauties !  "  cried  the 
latter,  astonished.  "  Where  did  you  get  'em  ?  " 

"  A  box  of  flowers  fell  out  of  Mrs.  Redmond's 
carriage,  and  I  told  her  of  it,  and  the  gentleman 
with  her  gave  me  these." 

"  Well,  I  declare,  how  pleased  the  doctor  would 
have  been." 

"  O  Roxana  !  they  made  me  forget  him," 
mourned  Phyllis.  "  For  the  first  time  since  he 
left  us,  the  sorrow  went  out  of  my  mind  when  I 
saw  these." 

"  Look  here,  Phyllis,  you  are  on  the  wrong  track," 
said  Roxana  kindly,  looking  up  from  her  steaming 
pail.  "  You  were  a  good  child  to  your  uncle,  and 
he  set  uncommon  store  by  you.  In  lookin'  back,  I 
take  it  you  have  n't  anythin'  to  regret.  Well,  he 
went  in  the  Lord's  good  time,  and  it  was  mighty 
hard  for  us  to  spare  him  ;  but  do  you  think  it 's 
good  sense  or  religion  to  hang  on  tight  to  your 
trouble  ?  No,  indeed.  Let  the  grief  slip  away 
just  as  soon  as  it  will.  The  love  won't  slip  with 
it ;  and  that 's  the  part  he  would  care  to  have  you 
keep." 

"  Do  you  think  he  knows  ?  " 

Roxana  rose  from  her  clean  floor.     "  Any  way, 


ROXANA'S  BOARDER.  97 

we  know  that  lie  was  a  good  man,  and  it  was  his 
gain  to  go.  Ain't  that  enough  ?  " 

Phyllis  moved  slowly  out  of  the  kitchen,  and 
putting  the  roses  in  a  vase  of  water  she  set  them 
on  a  table  beneath  the  picture  of  Uncle  Doctor, 
into  whose  eyes  she  looked  until  her  own  filled 
with  tears. 

"  There  is  no  danger  that  I  will  ever  love  you 
less,  dear,"  she  murmured.  "  I  did  not  remember 
you  every  minute  when  you  were  here,  and  if  I 
seem  to  forget  you  now  sometimes,  it  will  only  be 
in  the  same  way  that  I  did  when  you  lived  with 
us."  She  turned  and  went  upstairs  to  the  room 
which  she  had  made  it  her  business  to  prepare  for 
the  boarder.  It  was  as  clean  and  pure  as  soap 
and  water  and  much  beating  and  brushing  could 
make  it. 

Phyllis  had  not  exercised  her  imagination  con- 
cerning the  expected  stranger.  Her  old  habit  of 
castle-building  was  no  temptation  to  her  in  these 
days.  She  dreaded  the  advent  of  the  invalid,  and 
combated  the  feeling  as  a  form  of  the  laziness  she 
had  determined  to  forswear.  She  made  his  room 
look  as  inviting  as  her  slender  resources  would 
permit,  and,  after  some  mental  conflict,  carried 
thither  Dr.  Joy's  armchair,  as  being  the  best  sub- 
stitute for  an  invalid's  lounge  at  her  command. 

Roxana  followed  her  upstairs  and  looked  about 
the  room,  nodding  approval. 

"  Them  roses  would  put  a  finishin'  touch  to  the 
bureau,"  she  suggested. 


98  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Those  are  for  Uncle  Doctor,"  replied  Phyllis 
quickly. 

"  He  'd  spare  one  most  likely  if  he  had  anythin' 
to  say  about  it,"  remarked  Roxana.  "A  flower  or 
two  in  a  sick-room  does  a  body  good." 

Phyllis  thought  a  moment,  then  went  down  to 
the  dining-room,  which  was  their  living-room  as 
well,  and  took  a  couple  of  roses  from  the  vase. 

"  Uncle  Doctor  would  like  it,"  she  said  to  her- 
self. 

The  girl  little  suspected  how  far  from  approval 
of  the  whole  undertaking  Uncle  Doctor  would 
have  been,  so  the  simple  preparations  went  for- 
ward, and  at  the  appointed  hour  Mr.  Chester 
arrived. 

The  minister  met  him  at  the  depot  and  brought 
him  to  the  house,  where  Phyllis  and  Roxana,  feel- 
ing rather  dreary  and  apprehensive,  awaited  him. 

His  appearance  was  surprising  to  Phyllis,  but 
as  to  Roxana,  let  the  stranger  be  short  and  fat,  or 
tall  and  thin,  let  him  be  young  or  old,  the  same 
fortitude  was  required  to  take  him  in  and  welcome 
him. 

He  was  haggard  from  the  fatigue  of  the  short 
journey,  and  he  looked  from  Phyllis  to  Roxana 
and  back  again  with  a  sombre,  impatient  expres- 
sion in  his  dark  eyes,  which  made  Phyllis  thank- 
ful to  shrink  into  the  background  after  the  intro- 
duction. 

*'  I  was  very  glad  to  come,  Mrs.  Sherritt,"  he 
said  curtly.  "  I  should  like  to  rest  here  a  mo 


ROXANA'S  BOARDER.  99 

ment,"  and  he  sat  down  upon  the  haircloth  sofa. 
"  Do  not  wait  for  me,  cousin  Philip." 

"  Oh,  yes.  Let  me  help  you  up  to  your  room 
presently,''  replied  the  minister. 

"  No.  I  do  not  need  that  at  all.  I  wish  to  be 
still  awhile,  then  I  shall  be  ready  to  go  upstairs. 
I  do  not  need  any  assistance.  Many  thanks  for 
your  good,  offices.  Good-by,''  and  Mr.  Terriss 
was  forced  reluctantly  to  take  his  leave. 

Phyllis  saw  him  go  with  a  sinking  heart.  The 
stranger's  pallor  and  his  quick,  brusque  speech 
were  far  from  reassuring.  She  was  appalled  when 
Roxana  spoke. 

"  I  'm  goin'  out  to  get  Mr.  Chester's  tea.  You 
stay  here,  Phyllis,  and  when  he  feels  like  goin'  up, 
show  him  his  room,"  and  Mrs.  Sherritt  turned 
energetically  and  left  the  parlor.  Phyllis  con- 
quered a  desire  to  grasp  her  disappearing  skirts, 
and  lifted  her  glance  to  the  figure  leaning  back  in 
the  corner  of  the  sofa.  The  stranger  sat  with  his 
thin  hand  over  his  eyes,  and  Phyllis  sank  noise- 
lessly into  a  chair,  almost  holding  her  breath,  in 
the  hope  that  he  would  not  note  the  flight  of  time 
until  Roxana' s  return.  There  was  something  in 
the  dejection  of  his  attitude  and  the  nearly  Span- 
ish darkness  of  his  hair  and  complexion  that  sug- 
gested to  the  girl  her  cherished  vision  of  the  mis- 
anthrope who  was  to  inhabit  Beech  Knoll  in  that 
long-ago  time  that  preceded  Dr.  Joy's  death. 

She  was  gazing  curiously  at  him,  noting  the 
curves  of  his  mustache  and  chin,  when  he  languidly 


100  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

dropped  his  hand  and  looked  full  into  her  fright- 
ened eyes. 

"  Who  is  the  best  doctor  here  ?  "  he  asked  sud- 
denly. Then,  the  expression  of  the  girl's  face  jog- 
ging his  memory,  he  continued  in  his  feebly  brusque 
fashion,  "  Excuse  me.  I  know  of  your  loss  ;  but  I 
fear  I  may  need  a  physician  soon." 

"  A  homeopath  ?  " 

"  No  !  a  regular  physician,"  was  the  impatient 
response.  "•  Excuse  me  again  ;  I  do  not  know 
which  school  your  father  belonged  to.'' 

"Uncle  Doctor  was  a  regular  physician,"  re- 
plied Phyllis  slowly.  "  There  is  another  here.  I 
can  get  him  for  you,  if  you  like." 

"  Can't  you  send  an  errand  boy  ?  " 

"  I  am  our  errand  boy,"  replied  Phyllis.  "  I  do 
not  mind  going." 

"  I  will  see  when  I  get  upstairs,"  responded  the 
other.  "  I  will  go  now,  if  you  please." 

He  looked  so  weary  and  pale  as  he  rose  that 
Phyllis  hesitated. 

"  Will  you  take  my  arm  ?  "  she  asked  bravely, 
conquering  her  dread. 

The  stranger  looked  down  at  her  curiously,  and 
smiled  for  the  first  time. 

"  Oh,  no.     Lead  the  way,  please." 

He  leaned  heavily  on  the  slender  old  banister 
as  they  ascended,  and  midway  on  the  stairs  was 
obliged  to  stop  and  sit  down. 

"  Why  did  n't  you  let  Mr.  Terriss  stay ! "  ex- 
claimed the  girl,  looking  back  at  him  anxiously. 


ROXANA'S  BOARDER.  101 

He  muttered  something  under  his  breath.  "  This 
is  very  absurd,"  he  said.  "  Wait  a  minute,  I  am 
dizzy,  that  is  all.  You  are  at  liberty  to  laugh  as 
much  as  you  like,  Miss  Flower." 

"  Laugh  !  "  exclaimed  Phyllis,  who  felt  much 
more  inclined  to  cry.  "  I  only  wish  I  were  bigger 
so  you  would  be  willing  to  let  me  help  you." 

Her  hearty  tone  seemed  to  do  the  sufferer  good. 
He  pulled  himself  to  his  feet. 

"  Now,  once  more,"  he  said ;  and  this  time  he 
reached  the  top,  and  followed  his  guide  into  the 
room  she  had  prepared. 

The  guest  looked  eagerly  toward  the  neatly  cur- 
tained window.  "  What  direction  is  that  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"South." 

"  Bless  you,"  he  responded. 

Phyllis  drew  forward  the  armchair  sugges- 
tively. 

"  Roxana  will  be  here  soon  with  your  tea,"  she 
said. 

Chester  took  off  his  overcoat,  and  sank  into  the 
armchair.  "  I  hardly  think  I  shall  need  a  doctor. 
This  is  a  very  pleasant  room,  and  you  are  very 
kind." 

"  I  am  glad  you  like  it,"  returned  Phyllis,  and 
with  a  breath  of  relief  she  passed  out  of  the 
door. 

Roxana  was  mounting  the  stairs  with  a  loaded 
waiter  when  she  emerged. 

"  You  might  take  it  in,  Phyllis,"  she  suggested 


102  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

The  girl  shook  her  head  decidedly.  "  No,  it  is 
your  turn.  He  nearly  fainted  on  the  stairs,  and 
I  'm  afraid.  I  will  sit  here,  and  if  you  want  me, 
you  have  only  to  call." 

Roxana  stifled  a  groan  and  passed  within.  The 
invalid's  face  lighted  as  he  saw  the  foodo  His 
hostess  drew  a  little  table  up  before  his  chair,  and 
placed  upon  it  the  creamed  toast,  tea,  marmalade, 
and  lamb  chops  which  she  had  prepared. 

"  How  very  nice  !  "  said  Chester  appreciatively. 
"  There  is  a  wolf  within  me  nowadays." 

"  Glad  to  hear  it.     You  are  all  right,  then  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes.  I  hope  you  believe  I  am  considerate 
enough  not  to  come  out  here  and  die  on  your 
hands.  Perhaps,  however,  you  will  consider  bring- 
ing with  me  a  convalescent's  appetite  quite  as  out- 
rageous." 

"I  sha'n't  complain  a  bit,  if  you  don't,"  returned 
Mrs.  Sherritt,  with  a  practical  glance  about  her  to 
see  if  her  boarder  had  all  the  requisites.  "  I  sup- 
pose you  've  got  a  napkin-ring  somewhere." 

Chester  smiled  under  the  combined  influence  of 
the  chop  and  his  entertainer's  manner. 

"Yes,  in  my  trunk.  I  have  not  used  it  for 
years,  though,  because  I  lost  my  pleasant  associa- 
tion with  the  giver." 

"  Better  use  it  now,  because  I  have  n't  got  any 
to  give  you,  unless  it  was  Dr.  Joy's,  and  I  guess 
Phyllis  would  n't  like  that." 

"  Oh,  don't  trouble  yourself.  Any  piece  of  rib- 
bon will  do." 


ROXANA'S  BOARDER.  103 

"No  such  slack  way  would  do  for  me,"  re- 
marked Mrs.  Sherritt  dispassionately.  "  If  you  '11 
give  me  your  trunk  key,  I  '11  unpack  your  things 
for  you." 

Chester  looked  up,  surprised.  Roxana  returned 
his  glance  coolly,  strength  and  determination  in 
every  line  of  her  plain  face  and  figure. 

"You  —  you  are  very  kind."  He  took  a  key 
from  his  pocket  and  handed  it  to  her.  "  I  have 
no  idea  where  anything  is.  One  of  the  nurses 
packed  for  me." 

Roxana  took  the  key,  and  vanished  behind  the 
broad  back  of  Chester's  chair.  He  proceeded  with 
his  meal  as  the  lock  of  his  trunk  clicked,  and  Mrs. 
Sherritt  performed  her  self-imposed  task. 

In  half  an  hour,  the  bureau  and  closet  were 
neatly  filled,  and  Roxana  stood  beside  the  empty 
dishes,  a  heavy  silver  napkin-ring  in  her  hand. 
There  was  an  inscription  upon  it,  which  read  A.  B. 
to  T.  C.,  but  she  did  not  glance  at  it. 

"  This  is  a  good  ring,"  she  remarked,  and 
slipped  it  upon  the  napkin  beneath  the  eyes  of  its 
astonished  owner,  who,  having  enjoyed  his  meal, 
felt  more  inclined  for  sleep  than  contention,  and 
so  submitted  in  silence. 

"  There  's  a  cane  here,"  remarked  Mrs.  Sherritt, 
pointing  to  the  head  of  the  bed.  "  If  you  should 
want  anythin'  very  bad  and  very  sudden,  rap  with 
that  and  I  '11  come.  I  think  you  'd  better  go  to 
bed  and  not  try  to  do  any  more  to-day."  So  say- 
ing, the  housekeeper  picked  up  the  tray  and  left 


104  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

the  room,  with  a  sense  of  having  done  her  whole 
duty. 

"  You  waitin'  here  yet  ?  "  she  remarked,  observ- 
ing Phyllis,  patient  and  large-eyed,  on  the  stairs. 
"  Don't  you  worry !  Our  boarder  ain't  goin'  to 
die  tills  week.  Come  down  to  your  supper." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MISS   REBECCA. 

A  FEW  days  afterward,  Miss  Redmond  looked  in 
at  the  doctor's  to  see  how  Phyllis  was  faring.  She 
remarked  at  once  quite  a  new  atmosphere  in  the 
house.  The  mournful  anxiety  which  followed  the 
doctor's  departure  was  dispelled.  Phyllis's  face, 
as  she  answered  the  door-bell's  summons,  wore  its 
old  look  of  life. 

"  Roxana  will  be  so  glad  to  see  you,"  she  said, 
the  stars  showing  in  her  eyes.  "  She  needs  com- 
forting, and  you  always  comfort  her.  You  know 
we  have  a  boarder." 

"  Yes,  I  know." 

"  It  is  wicked  for  me  to  laugh,"  said  the  girl, 
laughing  nevertheless.  "  Poor  Roxana  !  " 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Miss  Red- 
mond, walking  out  to  the  sitting-room,  where  Mrs. 
Sherritt.  coming  from  the  kitchen  with  a  red  and 
heated  face,  met  her. 

"  If  ever  anybody  was  welcome !  "  exclaimed 
Roxana.  "  Sit  down,  Miss  Rebecca,  I  've  got  a 
minute  to  myself,  I  do  believe.  You  know  I  've 
got  a  man  on  my  hands  now." 

"  Yes ;  I  called  to  see  how  you  were  getting  on." 

"  Don't  say  one  word  '  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Sher 


106  THE  MISTRESS    OF  SEECH  KNOLL. 

ritt,  seating  herself  near  her  guest  and  lowering 
her  voice  to  a  confidential  huskiness.  "  He 's  been 
sick  ever  since  he  got  here,  and  what  with  his 
havin'  to  eat  five  times  a  day.  and  needin'  waitin' 
on  more  or  less,  I  'm  about  wore  out.  Phyllis  has 
done  everythin'  she  could,  but  I  don't  want  she 
should  bother  around  him,  of  course,  and  so  I  've 
had  to  take  the  brunt  of  it." 

"  Dear,  dear,"  said  Miss  Redmond  uncomforta- 
bly. She  could  not  help  feeling  somewhat  respon- 
sible for  Roxana's  boarder.  "  You  should  have 
sent  for  me.  Let  me  see.  His  name  is  Chester, 
I  believe." 

"  Yes.  He  's  pretty  near  drove  me  to  makin' 
poetry,  it  rhymes  so  handy  with  pester,"  responded 
Roxana  dejectedly.  "  He  can't  help  bein'  sick,  I 
suppose,"  she  added  reluctantly. 

"  Is  he  very  —  troublesome  ?  "  asked  Miss  Re- 
becca ;  "  I  mean  unpleasant  —  cross,  you  know." 

"  As  two  sticks,"  returned  Mrs.  Sherritt  lacon- 
ically. "  Take  a  man  gettin'  up  from  a  fever,  and 
headachy  and  fussy,  and  if  it  ain't  a  means  o' 
grace  to  take  care  of  him,  I  don't  know  what  is. 
Mr.  Terriss  comes  and  stays  a  little  while  every  day, 
good  man ;  but,  land !  he  has  his  cup  pretty  full 
at  home.  Phyllis  has  been  to  see  his  wife  pretty 
steady  while  I  've  been  so  shut  up." 

"  I  ought  to  go  to  see  her,  I  suppose,"  said  Re- 
becca slowly. 

"  Indeed,  Miss  Redmond,  it 's  the  kindest  thing 
you  can  do,"  replied  Roxana  heartily.  "  It  needs  a 


MISS  REBECCA.  107 

housekeeper's  head  to  look  in  there  once  in  a  while, 
to  oversee  things  ;  but  I  'in  fixed  just  so  I  can't  go. 
For  instance,  this  afternoon  I  've  got  to  be  here  to 
watch  the  beef  tea,  and  take  it  up  at  the  right 
time." 

"  No  reason  why  I  should  n't  do  it.  I  'm  not 
afraid  of  him,"  remarked  Phyllis  stoutly. 

"  'T  ain't  your  work,"  said  Roxana  in  a  final 
manner. 

Poor  Rebecca  saw  her  duty  with  sudden  and 
disconcerting  clearness.  "  I  will  stay  and  attend 
to  it,"  she  said,  after  a  moment's  pause. 

"  Miss  Rebecca,  you  're  too  good !  "  cried  Rox- 
ana  eagerly. 

"  Of  course  I  will,"  said  Miss  Redmond,  begin- 
ning to  untie  her  bonnet  strings.  "  Show  me  what 
is  to  be  done." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  sprang  up  with  alacrity.  Rebecca 
followed  her  into  the  kitchen  and  took  her  direc- 
tions. 

"  I  can  stay  two  hours,"  she  said,  and  Roxana, 
repeating  her  thanks,  hurried  away  to  put  on  her 
bonnet  and  shawl. 

Miss  Rebecca's  heart  fluttered  as  she  heard  the 
outer  door  slam.  All  Elise's  careless  suggestions 
as  to  the  black-bearded  ruffian  into  which  her 
adopted  brother  might  Jfave  developed  returned  to 
her  now.  "  As  cross  as  two  sticks,"  Roxana  had 
said. 

"Phyllis,"  called  Miss  Redmond  falteringly. 

The  girl  came  from  the  dining-room,  and  as  she 


108  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

appeared  there  sounded  a  mysterious  thump, 
thump,  thump  !  from  the  story  above. 

"  What  is  that !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Redmond. 

"  Mr.  Chester,"  sighed  Phyllis.  "  He  wants 
something.  I  wish  you  would  let  me  go." 

"No,  indeed,"  replied  Rebecca,  with  flushed 
cheeks.  Thump,  thump,  thump !  came  the  sum- 
mons again. 

Miss  Redmond  hesitated  no  longer,  but  hurried 
up  the  staircase.  Only  now  it  occurred  to  her 
that  it  might  annoy  the  invalid  to  see  a  stranger 
appear  in  his  room.  The  thought  was  not  an  en- 
livening one,  but  it  was  too  late  to  repent.  With 
the  courage  of  desperation,  she  opened  the  closed 
door. 

"  Mr.  Chester,"  she  said,  entering,  "  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt  has  gone  out.  What  may  I  do  for  you  ?  " 

The  sick  man  turned  impatiently,  scarcely  glanc- 
ing at  his  visitor.  "  I  should  think  you  might 
see  what  to  do  for  me,"  he  replied.  "  Lower  that 
curtain  so  the  sun  will  not  lie  directly  upon  my 
eyes." 

Rebecca  crossed  the  room  and  complied  with  the 
demand.  She  watched  the  weary  face  as  she  drew 
the  shade,  in  order  to  see  when  it  was  low  enough. 

"  That  will  do,  that  will  do,"  he  cried  brusquely. 
"  It 's  gloomy  enough  to  lie  here  hour  after  hour 
without  making  it  as  dark  as  Egypt." 

Rebecca  went  back  to  the  door.  "  I  will  bring 
you  some  beef  tea  in  half  an  hour,"  she  said. 

"  Humph !  "  responded  the  sick  man. 


MISS  REBECCA.  109 

Miss  Redmond  stole  downstairs  and  into  the 
sitting-room,  where  Phyllis  glanced  up  from  some 
sewing  she  was  at  work  upon.  To  her  entire  sur- 
prise, Miss  Redmond  sat  down  and  began  to  laugh. 
She  laughed  until  her  delicate  face  was  red  up  to 
the  roots  of  her  white  hair,  stifling  the  sound  with 
one  hand,  and  making  hushing  gestures  to  Phyllis 
with  the  other. 

Phyllis  smiled  in  sympathy.  "  Why,  my  dear, 
he  is  a  perfect  bear,"  whispered  Miss  Redmond 
rather  hysterically. 

"  Poor  Roxana !  It  is  a  shame,"  said  Phyllis. 
"  I  think  her  money  is  hardly  earned.  One  good 
thing  is,  she  is  n't  a  bit  afraid  of  him." 

"  And  I  am  so  relieved  to  find  that  I  am  not," 
said  Rebecca,  looking,  nevertheless,  very  nervous. 
'-  When  a  person  is  ill  enough  to  be  in  bed  it  would 
be  ridiculous  to  be  afraid  of  him,  would  n't  it  ?  I 
believe,  though,  I  will  take  his  beef  tea  up  a  little 
before  the  time,  for  I  am  afraid  I  might  get  fid- 
gety if  I  had  long  to  think  about  it.  Mr.  Bellows, 
the  young  man  who  was  visiting  at  our  house  lately, 
knows  Mr.  Chester  "  —  Rebecca  halted  abruptly. 
Was  she  letting  any  cat  out  of  the  bag?  No, 
surely  it  was  safe  enough  to  speak  of  that.  "  He 
admires  him,"  she  continued.  "  It  would  be  a 
good  idea  for  him  to  come  out  and  take  care  of  him, 
I  think." 

"  The  young  man  who  brought  the  flowers  ? " 
asked  Phyllis  with  interest. 

"  Yes  ;  such  a  good-natured  boy !     I  think  he 


110  THE  MISTRESS   OF   BEECH  KNOLL. 

would  be  an  excellent  contrast  to  Ursa  Major  up- 
stairs." 

Miss  Redmond  jumped  up.  "  Dear  me !  I 
must  hurry.  If  he  should  thump  again  it  would 
confuse  my  wits  so  that  I  should  be  sure  to  do 
something  wrong."  She  went  into  the  kitchen,  fol- 
lowed by  Phyllis,  and  between  them  they  prepared 
the  tray,  looking  like  a  couple  of  conspirators  as, 
with  their  heads  together,  they  laughingly  whis- 
pered their  comments,  apparently  fearing  that  the 
object  of  their  remarks  might  hear  through  closed 
doors.  At  last  Miss  Redmond  started  forth  on 
her  perilous  mission,  pursued  by  mischievous  sug- 
gestions from  Phyllis.  At  the  door  of  the  sick- 
room she  composed  her  features  with  an  effort, 
and  Terriss  Chester,  hearing  her  step  and  watching 
the  door  with  gloomy  eyes,  saw  when  she  opened 
it  what  looked  to  him  a  very  pretty  picture.  Re- 
becca's white  hair  brushed  down  in  its  accustomed 
neat  flat  waves,  her  flushed  cheeks,  and  her  bright 
eyes  were  far  more  pleasing  than  Roxana's  color- 
less, drab  effect. 

"  What  is  your  name,  if  you  please  ? "  he  de- 
manded. 

Rebecca  smiled  because  she  could  not  help  it. 

"I  know  you  think  me  a  surly  fellow,  and  I 
wish  to  ask  your  pardon  in  due  form  for  speak- 
ing as  I  did  when  you  came  up  before."  Chester 
spoke  in  a  grudging  tone ;  but  Rebecca  detected 
its  weariness,  and  her  kind  heart  pitied  him. 

"  I  am  Miss  Redmond,"   she  said,   "  and  I  for- 


MISS  REBECCA.  Ill 

give  you,  certainly."  She  set  the  tray  down  on  a 
stand  by  the  bedside. 

"  I  have  had  a  wretched  pain  in  my  head  ever 
since  last  evening,"  went  on  the  sufferer,  in  gruff 
apology,  "  and  as  I  have  nothing  pleasant  to  think 
about,  the  hours  are  interminable." 

"  Well,  well,"  said  Rebecca,  completely  at  ease 
after  this  confession  of  weakness.  "  I  know  this 
is  a  tiresome  experience  for  you,  and  you  certainly 
must  get  very  lonely.  Can  you  help  yourself  to 
this  bouillon,  or  shall  I  feed  you  ?  " 

The  gloomy  eyes  wore  a  gentler  expression  as 
the  invalid  replied,  — 

"  I  can  help  myself,  thank  you,  Miss  Redmond. 
Yes,  it  is  lonely.  I  have  wished  many  a  time  I  had 
waited  longer  before  leaving  the  hospital." 

"  You  will  be  up  soon,"  said  Rebecca  cheerily. 
"  You  must  not  be  despondent.  Shall  I  sit  down 
a  little  while?" 

Chester  looked  at  her  in  surprise.  This  was  a 
different  class  of  good  Samaritan  from  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt. 

"  You  are  very  kind,"  he  replied  rather  ea- 
gerly. "  If  you  will  sit  down  until  I  finish  this,  it 
will  save  your  coming  upstairs  again."  Rebecca 
complied.  She  was  a  pleasant  figure  in  her  soft 
black  dress,  and  Chester  appreciated  it. 

"  I  won't  promise  to  hurry,"  he  said,  with  the 
shadow  of  a  smile.  "  You  see  my  cousin,  Mr. 
Terriss,  makes  the  only  variety  in  my  day,  and 
his  visit  was  over  at  ten  o'clock  this  morning,  so 


112     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

I  have  nothing  to  look  forward  to  until  to-mor- 
row." 

Rebecca  smiled.  "  We  have  another  mutual 
friend,  Mr.  Chester,"  she  said.  "His  name  is 
Bellows." 

"  Humph !  The  banker  ?  He  was  my  employer. 
I  am  very  sorry  I  cannot  say  he  is  my  employer." 

"  No ;  this  is  a  young  man.  I  think  his  father 
is  a  banker." 

"  Oh  !  Tony  Bellows,  perhaps." 

"  Yes.  He  was  out  here  last  week  visiting  my 
sister." 

"  Ah  !     I  did  not  know  he  was  in  this  vicinity." 

"  He  has  recently  returned.  He  wishes  very 
much  to  meet  you  again,  so  you  will  be  likely  to 
see  him  walk  in  here  one  of  these  days." 

Chester  smiled  satirically.  "  His  devotion  to 
me  will  hardly  bring  him  to  Snowdon.  Why 
should  he  talk  of  me  to  you,  I  wonder  ?  " 

To  the  speaker's  amazement,  his  words  sent  a 
flood  of  color  all  over  his  visitor's  face.  "I  —  I  " 
—  she  stammered.  "  Perhaps  it  was  hearing  that 
you  were  coming  here  to  board.  Of  course  it  must 
have  been  that." 

Chester  regarded  her  with  grave  curiosity. 
What  connection  could  jolly  Tony  have  with  this 
demure  and  gentle  spinster  ?  What  attraction 
could  it  be  that  was  strong  enough  to  bring  young- 
Bellows  to  the  quiet  and  countrified  Snowdon  ? 
From  what  Chester  had  seen  of  the  village  and  its 
inhabitants,  it  was  the  last  place  in  the  world  upon 


MJSS  REBECCA.  113 

which  his  vivacious  friend  would  bestow  so  much 
as  a  passing  glance;  but  why,  above  all,  should  Miss 
Redmond  blush  about  him?  The  question  baffled 
Chester.  He  went  on  sipping  the  steaming  bouil- 
lon, while  Rebecca  plunged  into  speech  to  conceal 
her  embarrassment. 

"  My  sister  knew  him,  that  is  my  sister-in-law, 
Mrs.  Redmond,  when  he  was  a  child,  and  —  he 
came  out  to  see  her." 

"  Ah  ?  "  responded  Chester. 

"  Would  n't  you  like  me  to  read  you  some- 
thing ? "  continued  Miss  Redmond,  rising  and 
going  to  a  table  covered  with  books,  and  wishing 
heartily  that  she  need  not  have  so  guilty  a  feeling 
concerning  Elise's  secret. 

"  Would  you  really  be  so  kind  ?  "  said  Chester 
eagerly.  "  But  why  should  I  take  your  time  ?  " 

"  I  am  entirely  willing.  I  promised  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt  to  remain  until  her  return,  and  I  would  as 
lief  read  as  do  anything." 

Half  an  hour  later,  Roxana  returned.  Phyllis 
beckoned  her  into  the  sitting-room. 

"Where's  Miss  Rebecca  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Sherritt. 

"  I  think  we  shall  never  see  her  more,"  replied 
Phyllis.  "  She  entered  the  lion's  den  with  the 
beef  tea  fully  an  hour  ago,  and  has  not  emerged. 
I  think  he  has  taken  her  for  dessert." 

Roxana  smiled.  "  She  's  a  lion  tamer,  that 's 
what  she  is.  I  expect  iiothin'  else  but  what  she  's 
makin'  that  poor  fellow  have  the  best  time  he  'a 
known  in  a  <rood  while." 


114     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Poor  fellow !  I  did  not  know  you  felt  any  sym- 
pathy for  him." 

"  I  'm  perfectly  just,"  responded  Roxana,  un- 
pinning her  shawl.  "  He  can't  help  bein'  a  man 
and  not  havin'  any  self-control,  and  he 's  havin' 
an  awful  slow  time  of  it.  He  needs  a  missionary. 
All  men  do  ;  and  Miss  Rebecca 's  a  home  mission- 
ary." 

"  Very  well.  I  think  you  had  better  see  if  she 
has  not  shared  the  fate  of  that  brother  in  Timbuc- 
too,  who  was  eaten  up  and  his  hymn-book,  too. 
She  was  frightened  when  she  went  upstairs." 

"  Fiddlesticks !  "  exclaimed  Roxana,  with  the 
usual  toss  of  her  head.  "  Miss  Rebecca  's  plucky 
enough  when  it  comes  to  the  point ;  but  I  've  just 
left  a  poor  worn-out  woman,  I  tell  you." 

"  Yes.  Do  you  know,  Roxana,"  Phyllis  lowered 
her  voice,  "  Mrs.  Terriss  is  n't  exactly  a  saint." 

"  Did  you  ever  think,"  replied  Mrs.  Sherritt 
tartly,  "  whether  it  would  turn  you  into  a  saint  to 
sit  in  one  spot  day  in  and  day  out,  alone  half  the 
time?" 

"  I  do  not  believe  it  would  make  me  snap  at  my 
husband,  if  he  was  Mr.  Terriss,"  returned  Phyllis 
slowly.  "  She  did  yesterday  when  I  was  there." 

"  Well,  you  've  no  call  to  judge  her.  Of  course, 
she  is  only  human." 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  judge  her.  It  disappointed 
me,  that  is  all." 

Roxana  sighed.  "  You  might  as  well  learn 
early  in  life  that  it  's  a  great  mistake  to  set  up 


MfSS  REBECCA.  115 

human  idols.  Poor  feeble  human  nature  is  terri- 
ble apt  to  disappoint  anybody  that  expects  too 
much  of  it." 

Phyllis  smiled.  "  It  makes  considerable  differ- 
ence to  you  whether  an  invalid  is  a  man  or  a 
woman,  I  notice,  when  it  corn.es  to  a  question  of 
indulgence." 

"  Maybe,"  returned  Roxana  noncommittally. 
"  At  any  rate,  I  must  let  Miss  Rebecca  off  now." 

She  left  the  room,  and  shortly  returned,  holding 
up  both  hands  and  laughing. 

"  She 's  tamed  him,  sure  enough,"  she  announced. 
"  He  's  as  pleasant  as  a  lamb,  and  she  's  a  readin' 
to.  him.  She  says  she  '11  soon  be  through,  and  then 
she  '11  come  down.  As  true  as  I  live,  he  looks  a 
great  deal  better.  Now,  if  Miss  Rebecca  '11  just 
cure  him  up  for  us,  won't  we  be  everlastin'ly  obliged 
to  her?" 


CHAPTER  X. 

ALL   SORTS    OF   FLOWERS. 

WHETHER  or  not  the  fact  was  entirely  due  to 
Miss  Rebecca's  kind  offices,  it  proved  that  that 
was  the  last  day  Mrs.  Sherritt's  boarder  spent  in 
his  bed. 

He  dressed  each  morning  and  sat  in  Dr.  Joy's 
armchair,  and  was  able  to  enjoy  the  sunshine  at 
his  southern  windows  and  the  spring  green  of  the 
large  maple  which  grew  close  by.  The  busy  min- 
ister came  less  regularly  to  see  him,  considering 
the  need  less,  and  the  days,  broken  only  by  Rox- 
ana's  business-like  visits,  were  very  long.  Chester 
cast  affectionate  glances  at  certain  painting  para- 
phernalia, and  wondered  when  his  hand  would  be 
steady  enough  to  hold  the  brush.  Not  quite  yet, 
at  any  rate.  In  this  tedious  season,  it  was  an  un- 
mixed pleasure  to  him  that  one  day  Miss  Rebecca's 
prognostications  were  fulfilled,  and  Tony  Bellows 
appeared  at  the  door  of  his  room. 

Tony's  liking  for  his  eccentric  acquaintance  was 
sincere  ;  still,  it  might  not  have  led  him  to  set  aside 
a  day,  and  actually  to  journey  to  Snowdon,  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  beholding  Chester's  countenance ; 
but,  taken  in  connection  with  another  visit  to  Mrs. 
Redmond,  the  idea  was  full  of  attraction.  Also, 


ALL  SORTS   OF  FLOWERS.  117 

he  bad  not  forgotten  the  pretty  girl  in  the  black 
dress,  whose  feelings  he  had  hurt.  He  knew  that 
Terriss  was  boarding  in  the  same  house  with  her. 
Altogether,  the  thought  of  paying  him  a  visit  was 
a  pleasing  one.  He  concluded,  upon  arriving  at 
Snowdon,  to  go  directly  to  the  doctor's  house.  He 
had  an  uneasy  sense  that  Elise  would  tease  him 
less  if,  when  he  presented  himself  at  her  door,  his 
visit  to  Chester  was  an  accomplished  fact. 

Phyllis,  answering  the  door-bell,  was  startled  to 
behold  the  immaculate  form  of  the  stranger. 

"  The  flower  man,"  thought  she. 

"  The  Flower  girl,"  thought  he,  and  he  raised 
his  hat  and  smiled  in  his  most  sunshiny  fashion. 

Phyllis  colored  in  a  very  satisfactory  and  be- 
coming manner. 

"  Won't  you  walk  in,  Mr.  Bellows  ?  "  she  asked 
politely. 

"  I  am  so  delighted  to  see  you,  Miss  Flower," 
said  Tony,  his  hat  in  one  hand  and  a  florist's  box, 
moderate  in  size  this  time,  in  the  other. 

"Thank  you,"  said  Phyllis.  "Oh,  I  under- 
stand —  you  have  come  to  see  Mr.  Chester." 

"  I  do  want  to  see  him,  yes  ;  but  —  but  —  I  have 
a  few  flowers  here  for  him,  and  I  thought  perhaps 
you"- 

"  Yes,  I  will,"  said  Phyllis  with  alacrity,  as  he 
paused.  "  Come  into  the  parlor." 

"  Can  I  see  you  fix  them  ?  I  would  like  to  so 
much,"  said  Tony. 

"  Certainly.     I  will  bring  the  bowls  and  water 


118  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

here."  Bellows  sat  down  and  opened  the  box, 
while  Phyllis  brought  the  pitcher  and  vases.  A 
sort  of  elation  had  taken  possession  of  her  at  the 
first  sight  of  the  visitor.  He  was  to  her  a  glimpse 
outside  the  monotony  of  her  life,  a  being  associated 
with  a  charmed  mingling  of  luxurious  roses  and 
Mrs.  Redmond's  magnificence,  yet  in  himself  not 
in  the  least  frightful  or  overwhelming. 

She  drew  forward  a  table,  and  they  sat  one 
on  each  side  of  it.  Tony  was  relieved  to  see  the 
bright  expression  of  her  face,  and  to  know  that  she 
had  forgiven  him  his  unfortunate  remark. 

"  You  like  flowers  very  much,  "  she  said,  look- 
ing across  the  mass  of  blossoms  at  him. 

"  And  so  do  you,  of  course,"  he  answered. 

"  Ah !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  There  are  some  roses 
like  mine  —  those  you  gave  me,  you  know." 

"  Yes ;  La  France.  You  like  that  rose  partic- 
ularly?" 

"  I  think  they  must  be  the  loveliest  in  the  world." 
Phyllis  lifted  one  caressingly.  "  They  suit  me 
better  than  I  suit  them." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  " 

"  I  can  scarcely  tell.  I  suppose  I  am  too  plain 
a  person  for  them.  Mrs.  Redmond  is  the  right 
sort  to  have  them." 

"  Yes  ;  what  a  queen  she  is  !  "  burst  forth  Tony 
impulsively.  "  The  queen  of  flowers  is  hers  by 
right." 

Phyllis  laid  the  rose  down  quickly. 

Tony  was  the  simplest  of  mankind,  but  his  twen- 


ALL  SORTS  OF  FLOWERS.  119 

ty-four  years  had  educated  him  in  certain  lines  of 
worldly  wisdom. 

"  But  she  cannot  have  that,"  he  added  hastily. 
"  That  is  for  you." 

"  I  am  sure  you  brought  them  all  for  Mr.  Ches- 
ter," said  Phyllis,  with  her  demurest  air. 

"  No,  indeed.  You  will  hurt  my  feelings  if  you 
will  not  accept  one  bud." 

Upon  this,  delivered  with  a  beseeching  glance, 
Phyllis  relented. 

Roxana,  hearing  voices  and  stepping  to  the  par- 
lor door,  stopped  in  amazement.  On  one  side  of 
a  flower-laden  table  sat  Phyllis,  holding  a  deep 
pink  rose  to  her  lips  and  looking  into  the  eyes  of 
a  blonde  young  man  on  the  other  side  of  the  nar- 
row table,  who  returned  her  gaze  devotedly. 

The  girl  heard  her  and  turned.  "  Come  in,  Rox- 
ana," she  said  pleasantly.  "Mr.  Bellows  this  is 
my  —  this  is  Mrs.  Sherritt." 

Roxana  came  slowly  forward.  Tony  rose  and 
made  her  a  low  bow,  which  would  have  graced  a 
formal  drawing-room.  Mrs.  Sherritt  looked  at 
him  sharply  and  nodded  slightly. 

"  Mr.  Bellows  has  come  to  visit  Mr.  Chester," 
explained  Phyllis. 

"  I  want  to  know !  "  said  Roxana  dryly.  "  It 
don't  look  much  like  it,"  she  thought ;  then  she 
added  aloud,  "  Them  are  sightly  blooms." 

"  Are  n't  they  beautiful  ?  I  am  going  to  put 
them  in  water  for  Mr.  Bellows  to  carry  up." 

"  Won't  you  take  a  rose,  Mrs.  Sherritt  ?  "  asked 
Tony,  with  his  usual  prompt  cordiality. 


120  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Well,  if  there  's  one  o'  them  pinks  to  spare," 
said  Roxana,  taking  a  carnation.  "  It  does  seem 
good  to  have  «ne  this  time  o'  year." 

Mr.  Bellows  might  have  tried  in  vain  a  long 
time,  on  any  other  line,  to  bring  a  smile  to  the 
housekeeper's  thin  lips,  but  she  loved  flowers  with 
an  ardor  equal  to  his  own,  and  left  the  room  well 
pleased,  inhaling  the  odor  of  her  spicy  blossom. 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  Phyllis  naively,  while  her 
busy  fingers  continued  their  work,  "  I  was  afraid 
when  I  saw  you  that  perhaps  you  had  come  to  see 
me.  I  do  not  know  how  to  receive  calls  from 
young  men." 

"  Indeed !  " 

"  No,  we  do  not  have  any  in  Snowdon.  Boys 
are  born  here,  of  course,  but  as  soon  as  they  can 
walk  alone  they  leave  town." 

"  How  disagreeable  for  the  girls  !  " 

"  Horrid,"  admitted  Phyllis  frankly. 

"  Yet  you  would  n't  be  glad  to  let  me  call  on 

you?" 

"  Not  for  anything  in  the  world !  I  should  n't 
know  what  to  say.  Nothing  ever  happens  to  me 
to  talk  about,  and  we  do  not  know  any  of  the  same 
people." 

"  Mrs.  Redmond  ?  "  suggested  Tony,  amused. 

Phyllis  looked  up  at  him  and  shook  her  head. 

"  No,  indeed.  I  called  upon  her  before  —  be- 
fore I  lost  Uncle  Doctor,  and  only  yesterday  she 
called  upon  me.  We  do  not  know  each  other  at 
all." 


ALL   SORTS   OF  FLOWERS.  121 

"  Why,  that  is  strange  !  Ladies  usually  become 
acquainted  quickly  in  the  country." 

Phyllis  continued  to  shake  her  pretty  head  em- 
phatically. "  She  petrifies  me.  I  am  mortally 
afraid  of  her." 

"  Are  you  ?  "  said  Tony  eagerly.  "  So  am  I. 
Shake  hands  on  it."  He  reached  across  the  table, 
and  Phyllis  put  her  brown  hand  into  his  white  one. 

"  You  see  she  is  so  —  she  's  such  a  magnificent 
woman,  and  she  has  such  a  —  such  a  horrid  way 
of  looking  thoughtful  when  she  smiles  at  you," 
said  Phyllis,  "  as  though  she  understood  you,  and 
you  amused  her." 

"  Precisely,"  said  Tony,  beaming.  "  You  have 
described  it  exactly.  Shake  hands  again." 

Phyllis  gave  her  hand  more  reluctantly  this 
time.  "  Is  it  Bostonian  to  shake  hands  so  much?" 
she  inquired. 

"  No.  I  am  recently  from  the  West,  and  it  is 
a  habit  there,  and  I  fell  into  it." 

"  Well,  that  is  enough,"  said  Phyllis  demurely, 
withdrawing  her  hand.  "  Wait  until  we  meet  in 
the  West.  There !  will  the  flowers  do  now  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed.  Chester  will  be  as  much  obliged 
as  I  am." 

"  No  doubt,"  returned  Phyllis,  with  a  droll 
glance.  "Don't  you  think  his  name  lacks  one 
syllable  ?  He  really  should  be  called  Chesterfield ; 
but  excuse  me,  he  is  your  friend." 

"  Why,  Miss  Flower,"  said  Tony,  puzzled,  "  he 
is  really  a  fine  fellow,  —  a  talented  fellow." 


122     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  No  doubt ;  but  the  trouble  is  the  same  with  all 
your  friends  :  they  frighten  ine." 

"  I  don't,  do  I  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit,  because  you  have  n't  called  on  me, 
you  know.  I  met  Mr.  Chester  the  evening  he 
came,  and  I  really  do  not  know  him,  because  he 
has  been  ill  ever  since,  and  I  have  not  seen  him  ; 
but  rumors  of  his  amiable  disposition  and  suave 
manners  have  reached  me  through  those  who  have 
had  the  pleasure  of  taking  care  of  him." 

"  Say,  Miss  Flower,"  said  Tony,  grinning  at  the 
mischievous  face,  "  you  are  downright  wicked,  you 
know.  How  can  you  be  sure  I  sha'n't  tell  Chester 
what  you  say  ?  " 

Phyllis  laughed.  "  I  am  not  in  the  least  afraid 
of  you,  remember.  Now,  shall  I  show  you  the 
way?" 

"  Yes,  if  you  are  positively  determined  not  to 
receive  a  call  from  me." 

"  I  am,  positively.  I  will  take  one  vase  and  you 
the  other.  This  way,  please." 

Phyllis  preceded  him  upstairs,  and  arriving  at 
the  boarder's  door,  knocked. 

A  curt,  deep  "  Come  in  "  responded. 

"  It  is  a  good  thing  for  you  that  you  have  a 
peace-offering,"  whispered  Phyllis.  "  Here,  take 
the  other  bowl.  You  will  want  all  the  sweetness 
at  your  command." 

"  Then  won't  you  "  —  began  Tony  ;  but  Phyllis 
turned  the  handle  and  then  fled. 

Terriss  Chester,  reticent,  unsocial,  disappointed 


ALL  SORTS  OF  FLOWERS.  123 

man  that  he  was,  had  never  more  than  tolerated 
the  friendship  of  his  employer's  son ;  but,  at  the 
present  moment,  the  sight  of  Tony's  genial  counte- 
nance was  an  unmixed  pleasure. 

"  Why,  Tony,  my  boy  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Are 
you  personating  spring?  I  am  glad  to  see  you. 
Set  down  those  flowers  and  give  me  your  hand. 
This  is  extremely  friendly  of  you,  for,  to  tell  you 
a  secret,  the  days  in  Snowdon  are  forty-eight  hours 
long." 

"It  seems  to  me  a  pleasant  old  place,"  said  Tony, 
shaking  hands  heartily.  "  There  are  some  drives 
about  here  worth  seeing." 

"  Yes,  yes,  no  doubt ;  and  I  hope  I  shall  soon 
get  out ;  but,  for  the  present,  the  advantages  of 
Snowdon  are  for  me  pretty  much  the  advantages 
of  any  other  bedroom,  where  a  severe  specimen  of 
womanhood  dispenses  food  to  me  five  times  a  day." 

"  Yes,  I  met  the  severe  specimen  downstairs  ; 
but  there  is  another  specimen  here,  a  girl,  —  an 
awfully  pretty  girl." 

Chester  snapped  his  fingers.  "  The  pretty  girl, 
as  well  as  the  drives,  is  a  pleasure  deferred ;  but 
you  have  a  friend  here  who  has  come  twice  to  read 
to  me.  She  is  a  girl  that  I  appreciate.  To  be 
sure,  her  hair  is  white,  but  I  am  in  love  with  her. 
Did  you  bring  those  flowers  for  me  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  did." 

"  Thank  you.  Well,  I  would  pass  half  of  them 
along  to  Miss  Redmond,  if  I  knew  how  to  get  them 
to  her." 


124  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  To  Miss  Redmond  ?  Why,  I  will  take  them. 
I  was  going  there  anyway." 

"  Oh,  you  were  !  "  said  Chester,  eyeing  his  guest 
with  lazy  curiosity,  and  remembering  Rebecca's 
incomprehensible  blush. 

The  mate  to  it  stole  up  over  Tony's  face.  "  Of 
course ;  I  should  not  think  of  coming  to  Snowdon 
without  calling  at  Beech  Knoll." 

"  You  are  my  rival,  I  am  afraid,"  remarked 
Chester. 

Tony  shook  his  head.  He  was  feeling  deeply 
the  burden  of  Elise's  command.  "  It  was  kind  of 
Miss  Redmond  to  visit  you,"  he  said.  "  You  look 
rather  thin,  but  a  few  weeks  of  this  country  air 
will  fix  you  all  right." 

"  I  hope  so.  I  have  a  cousin  here,  and  to-mor- 
row, when  he  comes,  I  shall  go  downstairs  again. 
I  hope  I  am  about  through  with  this  sort  of  thing. 
Who  is  it  you  visit  at  Beech  Knoll,  Tony  ?  " 

"  Oh,  aU  of  them." 

"  Yes,  I  understand ;  but  who  are  '  all  of  them '  ? 
What  country  maiden  are  you  electrifying  with 
your  charms  ?  " 

"  Not  a  single  maiden ! "  replied  Tony  earnestly. 
"  Miss  Redmond  is  the  only  maiden  there." 

"  Then  what  is  all  this  blushing  about  ?  "  de- 
manded Chester,  a  gleam  of  amusement  lighting 
his  eyes. 

Tony  laughed.  "  Oh,  there  must  be  a  deep  and 
dark  mystery  about  it,  of  course !  "  he  said  des- 
perately. "  When  you  get  well  enough,  I  will  take 


ALL  SORTS  OF  FLOWERS.  125 

you  up  there  to  express  your  thanks  to  Miss  Re- 
becca, and  then  you  can  ferret  it  out." 

"  Tony,  you  have  a  bad  conscience  —  but  never 
mind.  I  happen  to  have  learned  that  there  is  a 
widow  at  Beech  Knoll.  The  faithful  and  severe 
Mrs.  Sherritt  has  vouchsafed  that  information. 
Your  candid  face  informs  me  that  she  is  young. 
Very  well,  my  boy,  you  have  money  enough  for 
both,  and  I  only  hope  your  father  won't  forbid  the 
banns." 

Tony  smiled.  "  This  is  a  nice  way  to  treat  a 
fellow  that  has  come  all  the  way  from  Boston  to 
see  you,"  he  remarked. 

"  I  appreciate  it,  Tony.  Upon  my  word  I  do. 
I  am  dreading  the  moment  when  you  will  spring 
up,  take  my  flowers,  and  say  you  must  be  off  for 
Beech  Knoll.  I  adore  Miss  Redmond,  but  I  don't 
think  I  can  let  you  take  the  roses.  It  has  just 
occurred  to  me  that  I  will  paint  them.  I  believe 
I  can  do  it,  now.  Do  you  see  what  a  pretty  vista 
I  get  from  this  window  ?  I  am  going  to  make  a 
sketch  of  that  some  day,  too." 

"  Wait  till  you  see  the  vistas  at  Beech  Knoll !  " 
exclaimed  Tony  enthusiastically. 

Chester  gave  him  his  smiling,  satirical  glance. 

"  I  will  try  to  be  patient,"  he  replied ;  and  then 
he  proceeded  to  ask  his  friend  concerning  affairs 
in  the  city. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
MISS  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERT. 

TIME  did  not  yet  begin  to  drag  for  the  new 
mistress  of  Beech  Knoll.  She  rode  and  drove  a 
great  deal.  She  watched  the  leaves  unfold  on  her 
fine  old  trees.  She  held  consultations  with  her  gar- 
dener, and  watched  him  carry  out  her  plans.  She 
imbibed  greater  health  and  beauty  daily  from  the 
crisp  air  and  sunshine,  and  Rebecca  looked  on 
well  pleased.  Elise's  interest  in  her  new  home 
bade  fair  to  outlast  the  spring. 

She  was  out-of-doors  when  Tony  walked  into 
the  grounds  on  his  way  from  seeing  Terriss  Ches- 
ter, and  she  came  to  meet  him,  a  smile  on  her  face 
and  in  her  gray  eyes.  Tony  told  himself  again 
that  she  was  the  loveliest  woman  he  had  ever 
seen. 

"  You  see  I  dicl  n't  dare  to  wait  until  you  sent 
for  me,"  he  explained.  "  I  was  afraid  you  might 
forget." 

"  You  are  always  welcome,"  was  the  gracious 
rejoinder ;  "  and  you  have  brought  me  some  more 
flowers,  you  kind  boy." 

"  No,  I  —  you  see  I  wanted  to  bring  some  to 
Chester,  and  so  "  — - 


MISS  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERY.  127 

"  Ah,  certainly,"  said  Elise,  with  a  little  nod. 
"  You  are  on  your  way  to  him  ?  " 

"  No,  I  have  been  there.  He  sent  these  by 
me"  — 

"  Tony ! "  Elise  stopped  and  looked  at  him  ac- 
cusingly. "  Have  you  betrayed  me  ?  " 

"  No,  no ;  upon  honor.  Chester  sent  these  to 
Miss  Redmond,"  was  the  eager  response. 

Elise  broke  into  a  gay  laugh. 

"  She  deserves  them.  It  was  very  kind  of  him. 
You  did  not  speak  of  me  to  him  ?  " 

"  Not  once  ;  and  you  have  no  idea  how  hard  it 
was  with  him  catechising  me  all  the  time." 

"  Good  boy  ;  but  why  should  he  catechise  you  ?  " 

"  He 's  so  broken  up  over  Miss  Redmond," 
exclaimed  Tony,  wiping  his  brow,  heated  by  his 
anxiety  to  establish  his  innocence. 

Elise  laughed  again.  "  I  long  to  see  Rebecca's 
face  when  she  hears  of  it.  Let  us  go  in  and  tell 
her." 

Tony,  much  relieved,  followed  her  quickened 
steps  into  the  sunny  sitting-room,  where  Miss  Red- 
mond was  reading. 

"  Rebecca,  here  is  Mr.  Bellows." 

Miss  Redmond  rose  to  greet  the  young  man, 
who  smilingly  placed  the  box  in  her  hands. 

"  Did  you  know  you  had  an  admirer  in  town  ?  " 
asked  Elise.  "  Shame  upon  you  for  keeping  it 
from  me." 

Miss  Redmond  grew  crimson,  and  looked  at  the 
speaker  with  startled  eyes. 


128  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Open  your  box.  Here,  let  me  help  you.  See, 
lilies  of  the  valley,  carnations,  heliotrope,  ferns. 
He  is  generous." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  you  children  ? "  asked 
Miss  Redmond. 

"  They  are  for  you,"  said  Tony,  "  with  the  re- 
gards of  Mr.  Terriss  Chester." 

Miss  Rebecca  smiled  and  grew  grave.  "  How 
could  the  poor  fellow  get  them  ?  " 

"This  poor  fellow  brought  them  to  him,  of 
course,"  laughed  Elise.  "  Everybody  imposes  upon 
Tony." 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  both,"  said 
Miss  Rebecca.  "  I  will  put  them  in  water  on  this 
table,  where  I  can  enjoy  them  all  the  time.  How 
is  Mr.  Chester  to-day  ?  " 

"  He  seems  to  be  improving.  He  expects  to  go 
downstairs  to-morrow.  I  do  hope  he  will  be  able 
to  get  out-of-doors  soon  ;  then  he  will  get  well,  of 
course.  I  hope  some  one  will  take  him  to  drive. 
He  says  he  has  a  cousin  here." 

Rebecca  shook  her  head.  "  Mr.  Terriss  has  no 
horse,  and  I  am  afraid  very  little  money  to  hire 
one." 

Elise  looked  from  one  to  the  other  with  the 
reflective,  amused  expression  which  Phyllis  found 
so  disconcerting. 

"  If  you  will  drive  my  ponies,  Rebecca,  they  are 
at  your  friend's  service,"  she  remarked  presently. 

"  Elise,  you  know  I  could  never  do  it  in  the 
world,"  returned  Rebecca,  with  evident  trepida- 
tion. 


MISS  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERY.  129 

"  If  you  would  let  me  do  it  some  day,  Mrs.  Red- 
mond," suggested  Tony. 

"  Certainly.  To-morrow,  if  you  like.  I  suppose 
your  pressing  business  engagements  would  permit 
you  to  remain  in  Snowdon  over  night  for  such  a 
charitable  purpose  ?  " 

"Now  what  are  you  always  chaffing  me  about 
business  for?"  demanded  Tony,  much  aggrieved. 

"  Because  you  are  so  amusingly  ornamental, 
Tonychen" 

"Well,  I  give  you  warning  that  I  am  going 
to  be  ornamental  until  the  fall.  There  is  n't  any 
chance  to  begin  to  be  useful  until  then.  Here  is 
summer  coming  on  so,  and  I  have  accepted  an 
invitation  to  Newport  for  August." 

"  Your  reasons  are  unimpeachable,  my  child." 

"  I  object  to  being  called  your  child,  and  if  this 
is  all  you  have  "  — 

"Tony,  Tony,  your  face  is  of  a  color  which 
makes  your  hair  look  very  yellow,  almost  gaudy 
by  contrast.  Now  calm  right  down,  and  tell  me 
if  you  do  not  think  I  am  admirable  to  put  my 
carriage  at  the  disposal  of  a  man  who  abhors  me, 
or  would  if  he  knew  who  I  am  ?  " 

"  He  would  n't.  That  is  all  nonsense,"  said 
Tony  sulkily.  "I  have  a  mind  to  tell  him." 

"  If  you  do,  Tonychen"  replied  Elise  dispassion- 
ately, "  I  will  never  speak  to  you  again,  and  that 
is  the  literal  truth.  I  do  not  choose  that  Mr. 
Chester  shall  be  the  crumpled  roseleaf  in  my  sweet 
summer.  Fate  insisted  upcn  his  coming  to  Snow- 


130  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

don,  and  I  will  even  play  the  good  Samaritan  and 
help  him  to  get  well ;  but  that  is  all." 

"  Perhaps  I  have  blundered,  then,"  said  Tony, 
his  eyes  widening  as  a  new,  appalling  thought 
struck  him.  "  I  promised  to  bring  him  to  Beech 
Knoll  to  see  Miss  Redmond  and  the  vistas." 

"The  what?" 

"  The  vistas.     He  is  an  artist,  you  know." 

"  An  artist  and  a  cashier  in  a  bank  ?  " 

"  Why,  even  an  artist  must  eat,"  observed  Tony. 

"  Never  mind,"  said  Mrs.  Redmond,  with  unex- 
pected graciousness.  "You  may  bring  him  some 
time,"  and  she  lowered  her  eyes  this  time  as  she 
smiled  at  some  thought.  "  You  will  stay,  Tony  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you  know  I  will,  as  long  as  you  will  let 
me,"  was  the  impatient  answer.  "  I  saw  Miss 
Flower  again  to-day,"  he  added.  "I  had  not 
promised  not  to  speak  of  you  to  her,  you  know." 

"You  did  not  find  that  the  subject  interested 
her,  I  am  sure,"  replied  Elise.  "  I  cannot  get  on 
with  fair  Phyllis." 

"  You  frighten  her,"  exclaimed  Tony. 

Mrs.  Redmond  smiled  skeptically. 

"  You  do  really.  She  said  so,"  continued  Tony 
earnestly. 

"  I  am  afraid  she  is  an  affected  little  maiden,  if 
she  said  that,"  returned  Elise. 

"That  she  is  not,"  remarked  Miss  Redmond 
heartily. 

"  Oh,  T  am  sure  she  is  not,"  echoed  Tony. 

"  Well,  if  you  are  sure  of  it,  Tony,  it  must  be 


MISS  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERY.  131 

that  she  is  not.  I  am  sure  no  girl  could  deceive 
you,"  said  Mrs.  Redmond. 

"  Phyllis  is  a  very  nice  girl,"  said  Miss  Rebecca 
soberly,  "  and  a  very  dull  life  she  has  of  it.  Still 
she  knows  of  nothing  different,  so  perhaps  it  is  not 
marvelous  that  she  endures  it  well.  I  have  asked 
her  to  come  here  some  day.  I  am  sure  she  would 
enjoy  walking  by  the  river  and  seeing  the  trees  in 
their  new  dresses." 

"  Yes,"  said  Elise,  "  and  if  she  wished,  she  could 
take  a  ride.  Her  uncle  said  she  rode.  Ask  her 
to  come  and  spend  the  day  with  you." 

Rebecca  looked  up,  well  pleased.  "  Thank  you," 
she  returned,  "  that  is  what  I  should  like  to  do." 

Mrs.  Redmond  frowned  at  her  smilingly.  "  You 
waited  for  my  permission,  you  foolish  Rebecca? 
You  know  that  is  not  treating  me  fairly.  It  is 
as  much  your  home  as  mine.  I  will  try  not  to 
frighten  your  friend  more  than  my  naturally  ter- 
rible aspect  makes  necessary." 

"  Come,  now,"  said  Tony,  "  you  are  all  wrong. 
She  admires  you  immensely  and  all  that.  It  is 
because  of  that "  — 

"•  Wait,  wait,  Tony,  you  are  growing  metaphysi- 
cal. You  will  get  beyond  your  depth  in  a  minute 
more.  We  are  wasting  time  this  beautiful  weather. 
Let  us  go  and  have  a  game  of  tennis." 

The  following  day  was  a  red-letter  one  to  Mrs. 
Sherritt,  for  her  boarder  came  downstairs.  More- 
over, he  came  without  assistance  from  any  one, 
and  was  so  much  encouraged  as  to  his  condition 


132  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

that  Phyllis  told  herself  he  looked  positively  gen- 
ial when  he  came  into  the  parlor  where  she  was 
awaiting  him. 

"Happy  to  see  you  again,  Miss  Flower,"  lie 
said  cheerfully. 

"  I  congratulate  you  on  getting  out  of  that  room ; 
you  must  be  very  tired  of  it." 

"  I  am,  heartily,  and  am  sure  Mrs.  Sherritt  is 
quite  as  much  so." 

"  You  will  be  getting  as  far  as  my  house  one  of 
these  days,"  observed  Mr.  Terriss,  who  had  fol- 
lowed him  into  the  parlor.  "  My  wife  will  be 
pleased  to  make  your  acquaintance." 

"  And  I  to  make  hers.  I  feel  ashamed  to  chafe 
so  at  a  short  imprisonment,  when  I  think  of  her 
fate." 

"It  is  indeed  a  hard  one,"  said  the  minister 
quietly,  that  subtle  cloud  falling  over  his  face 
which  always  settled  there  when  he  mentioned  his 
wife  outside  her  presence.  "  Well,  I  will  leave 
you  now,  Terriss.  I  hope  this  is  the  beginning  of 
the  end,  and  that  you  will  commence  to  enjoy  life 
again.  Good-by,  Phyllis.  What  a  sweet  rose  you 
have  there  !  I  noticed  it  the  instant  I  entered  the 
room." 

"  Is  n't  it  beautiful  ?  It  is  for  you,  Mr.  Terriss." 
The  girl  started  up  and  took  the  flower  from  the 
vase.  The  minister  demurred,  but  Phyllis  in- 
sisted, and  he  was  forced  to  accept. 

"  Thank  you ;  I  will  take  it  home  to  Mrs.  Ter« 
riss." 


MISS  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERY.  133 

"No,"  returned  Phyllis  decidedly;  "it  is  for 
you."  She  came  close  to  him  and  drew  the  stem 
through  his  buttonhole,  and  he  smiled. 

"  You  make  me  look  like  a  gay  young  man." 

"  I  should  like  to.  Now  promise  me  that  when 
you  get  home  you  will  put  it  on  your  desk  and  not 
on  Mrs.  Terriss'  table." 

"  Why,  Phyllis  "  — 

"  No,  no.     Variety  is  the  spice  of  life.     Prom- 


ise 


'"  Well,  I  promise,"  said  the  minister,  half  laugh- 
ing, yet  seeing  himself  in  fancy  enter  his  house  in 
a  secret  and  guilty  manner,  and  tiptoe  up  the  stairs 
to  keep  that  lightly  demanded  promise.  It  gave 
him  an  unwelcome  glimpse  of  the  fact  that  he  was 
the  object  of  feeble  tyranny,  and  his  thoughts  on 
the  homeward  walk  were  less  cheerful  than  usual, 
in  spite  of  the  fragrant  breath  of  his  rose. 

Entering  his  front  door  quietly,  he  was  about  to 
carry  out  his  programme,  when  a  sound  of  choking 
and  sobbing  in  his  wife's  room  startled  him. 

Hurrying  down  the  narrow  corridor,  he  threw 
open  the  door,  and  a  strange  sight  met  his  eyes. 
His  wife  was  convulsively  weeping,  her  body  half 
supported  in  Rebecca  Redmond's  arms,  while  Lu- 
cindy  Bates,  open-mouthed,  stood  by,  wringing  her 
hands  helplessly. 

"Your  husband  has  come,  Mrs.  Terriss,"  said 
Rebecca.  "  Try  to  control  yourself  for  his  sake." 

"  O  Philip,  Philip !  "  cried  the  invalid  hysteri- 
cally. "•  Oh,  how  I  suffer,  how  I  suffer !  "  and  she 


134  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

flung  herself  out  of  Rebecca's  arms  into  those  of 
her  husband,  who  had  knelt  on  her  other  side. 

The  minister  looked  into  Rebecca's  eyes  for  ex- 
planation, but  Miss  Rebecca  shook  her  head  in 
despair.  She  had  seemed  on  the  eve  of  succeed- 
ing in  calming  Mrs.  Terriss  before  her  husband 
appeared ;  now  the  cries  grew  to  shrieks,  and  the 
uncontrolled  woman  stiffened  throughout  her  body. 

"  You  can  stop  this,  Lily,  and  you  must.  It  will 
make  you  ill,"  said  the  minister  sternly. 

"  She 's  a  goiu'  to  faint,  sir,"  said  Lucindy  ex- 
citedly, as  Mrs.  Terriss  set  her  teeth  and  closed 
her  eyes.  "  When  they  holler  it  kind  o'  frustrates 
me,  but  if  she  '11  faint,  a  tumbler  o'  cold  water 
right  in  the  face  is  just  like  magic." 

"  Don't  you  dare,"  gasped  the  sufferer,  opening 
her  eyes  and  fixing  them  wildly  upon  the  hand- 
maid, who  suddenly  set  down  the  goblet  she  had 
raised. 

"That  is  right,  Lily.  Control  yourself,"  said 
the  minister. 

"  Oh,  I  will,  I  will,"  moaned  his  wife.  "  Miss 
Redmond  has  been  so  kind,  so  kind  to  me.  Thank 
her,  Philip." 

"  I  do  thank  her,"  said  the  minister,  low  and 
gravely,  not  looking  at  Rebecca. 

Her  face  was  as  grave  as  his  own.  "  I  will  go 
now,"  she  said,  rising  quietly.  "  Mrs.  Terriss  will 
want  to  rest." 

"  Tell  him  first,  tell  Philip  first,"  said  the  latter, 
hrowing  her  arm  over  her  husband's  shoulder. 


3//SS  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERY.  135 

"  T  am  not  sure  that  I  fully  understand, '  said 
Rebecca,  and  her  calm  voice  wus  soothing  to  hear 
after  the  querulous  one  of  the  invalid.  "  Your 
wife  sent  for  young  Dr.  Ramsey,  and  he  came,  and 
during  their  talk  he  said  —  I  did  not  get  here 
until  he  was  leaving,  but  I  understood  from  Mrs. 
Terriss  that  he  underrated  her  illness  in  some 
way." 

Mrs.  Terriss  raised  her  head  with  surprising 
energy.  "  He  said  that  he  could  not  discover  that 
there  was  anything  very  wrong  with  me  I  "  she  ex- 
claimed. 

Mr.  Terriss  was  silent,  the  grave,  harassed  look 
still  on  his  face. 

"  Dr.  Ramsey  is  rather  young  and  inexperi- 
enced," he  said. 

"  So  I  told  him.  I  drove  him  away,  —  I  drove 
him  away,  and  I  am  glad  I  did."  Her  voice  trem- 
bled with  excitement. 

"Do  not  talk  of  it  now,"  said  Mr.  Terriss 
firmly.  "  I  thank  you  very  much,  Miss  Redmond. 
Do  not  let  us  detain  you  any  longer."  He  raised 
his  eyes  to  hers  for  one  moment,  then  lowered 
them  again  to  his  wife's  trembling  form. 

Miss  Rebecca  carried  a  heavy  heart  with  her 
down  the  pleasant  street.  She  was  puzzled,  too, 
and  doubtful  as  to  her  duty. 

A  smart  rattle  of  horses'  hoofs  and  a  bright  voice 
interrupted  her  troubled  reverie. 

"  Good  -  morning  again,  Miss  Rebecca,"  cried 
Mr.  Bellows,  stopping  his  team  beside  her.  "  Are 


136  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

you  going  anywhere  that  I  can  take  you  ?  I  am 
very  generous  with  Mrs.  Redmond's  horses," 

"  My  destination  is  the  same  as  yours,"  replied 
Rebecca.  "  I  like  walking,  but  I  do  not  mind  driv- 
ing when  it  is  so  easy  as  this." 

Tony  jumped  out  and  helped  her  in,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  they  drew  up  before  Phyllis's  door. 

Phyllis  herself  and  Terriss  Chester  saw  the  equi- 
page from  the  parlor  window. 

"  Mrs.  Redmond's  carriage,"  said  Phyllis,  her 
eyes  sparkling.  "  Miss  Rebecca  does  not  usually 
come  in  such  style." 

"  Mr.  Bellows  is  her  coachman,  I  see,"  remarked 
Chester.  "He  must  be  quite  intimate  at  Beech 
Knoll." 

"  Yes,  he  visits  there  often,"  returned  Phyllis, 
watching  while  Tony  tied  the  horses,  and  then 
walked  beside  Miss  Rebecca  up  the  path. 

"  Why,  Mr.  Chester,  I  am  glad  to  see  this," 
said  Miss  Redmond  as  she  entered  the  parlor. 
She  shook  hands  heartily  with  Terriss,  who  rose  to 
greet  her.  "  I  enjoyed  the  flowers  you  sent  me  so 
much.  I  am  not  accustomed  to  such  pretty  atten- 
tions from  young  men." 

"  You  mean  you  will  not  receive  them,"  said 
Tony,  turning  from  his  cordial  greeting  to  Phyllis. 
"  She  tried  to  run  away  from  me  this  morning,  but 
I  caught  up  with  her  on  the  street.  Chester,  I  have 
come  to  take  you  driving  behind  the  best  little 
team  between  here  and  Boston." 

"  Why,  thank  you  ;  I  had  not  thought  of  going 
out  so  soon." 


A/JSS  REDMOXD'S  DISCOVERY.  137 

"  Of  course  you  had  n't.  You  did  n't  know 
what  was  in  store  for  you.  Mrs.  Redmond  has 
been  kind  enough  to  lend  me  her  carriage  for  the 
purpose,  and  it  will  do  you  all  the  good  in  the 
world." 

"  Oh,  it  will,  I  am  sure,"  said  Phyllis,  so  ear- 
nestly that  Mr.  Bellows  wished  circumstances  re- 
quired him  to  extend  the  invitation  to  the  family 
in  turn. 

"  I  advise  you  to  go.  The  air  is  not  chilly," 
added  Miss  Redmond. 

"  I  want  to  go  badly  enough,"  said  Chester, 
"  but  I  atn  as  fidgety  as  an  old  woman  when  I 
think  of  being  possibly  put  back  to  bed.  Will 
you  come  and  read  to  me,  if  I  am,  Miss  Red- 
mond?" 

Rebecca  promised,  so  Chester  went.  Phyllis 
watched  them  drive  away. 

"  How  nice  it  looks,"  she  said,  sighing.  "  O  Miss 
Rebecca,  why  can't  we  all  be  rich  ?  " 

l*  We  all  may  be  in  some  direction,"  replied  Miss 
Redmond. 

"  You  mean  something  moral,  I  know,"  pouted 
Phyllis.  'k  I  do  not  want  to  be  rich  in  contentment 
and  those  things ;  I  want  real  bad  riches,  horses 
and  carriages,  and  new  dresses." 

Miss  Redmond  smiled.  "  You  make  me  doubt- 
ful whether  I  ought  to  do  the  errand  I  came  to 
do." 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  said  Phyllis,  turning  toward 
her  eagerly. 


138  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  I  caine  to  ask  you  to  spend  a  day  with  me  next 
week ;  but  you  will  see  carriages  and  horses,  will 
ride  a  horse  if  you  choose,  and  you  may  see  new 
dresses.  Are  you  better  off  not  to  see  these 
things  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  care  whether  I  am  or  not.  I  shall 
come,  if  you  ask  me." 

"  I  never  thought  you  were  at  all  a  discontented 
child,"  said  Miss  Rebecca  thoughtfully.  "  You 
have  such  health,  and  have  had  such  a  sensible 
bringing  up.  Why  should  you  not  be  happy  every 
minute  ?  To  be  sure,  your  life  is  quiet." 

Phyllis  shook  her  head.  She  could  not  explain 
how  Mrs.  Redmond  and  her  belongings,  including 
her  guest  and  his  roses,  had  opened  to  her  vision  a 
new  world  of  possibilities. 

"  I  hope  you  will  invite  me,  Miss  Rebecca,"  she 
said  naively. 

"  Well,  I  do,  child.  Come  next  Wednesday. 
Where  is  Roxana  ?  " 

"  In  the  kitchen.     Shall  I  call  her  ?  " 

««  No.     I  will  go  to  her." 

Roxana  was  peeling  potatoes  at  the  sink  when 
Miss  Rebecca  went  in. 

"  Don't  let  me  disturb  you,  Roxaua,"  she  said, 
drawing  a  chair  into  a  convenient  position  and 
sitting  down.  "  I  went  in  to  see  Mrs.  Terriss  this 
morning." 

"  I  thank  you,  Miss  Rebecca ;  I  take  that  as  a 
favor  to  myself,"  said  Roxana  earnestly.  "  What 's 
the  news?  Any?" 


MISS  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERY.  139 

"  The  young  doctor  had  been  there,  Dr.  Ram- 
sey, and  he  said  something  to  displease  her.  When 
I  arrived,  he  was  just  going  away ;  and  as  soon  as 
she  saw  me,  the  poor  lady  broke  down  completely 
in  hysterics." 

Roxana  washed  a  large  potato  vigorously. 
"  Well,  I  s'pose  that  young  whipper-snapper  hain't 
got  good  sense  yet.  Most  likely  he  thinks  he's 
goin'  to  regulate  the  whole  medical  profession.  If 
anybody  's  excusable  for  bein'  hysteriky,  it  's  a 
woman  fixed  just  the  way  Mrs.  Terriss  is,  that  can't 
hardly  move." 

"  Roxana,"  Miss  Redmond  glanced  toward  the 
door  and  lowered  her  voice,  "  the  circumstance 
which  is  so  strange  that  I  scarcely  know  whether 
or  not  to  speak  of  it  to  you  is  that  when  I  entered 
Mrs.  Terriss'  room,  she  was  standing  as  erect  as 
you  are  this  moment,  by  the  mantelpiece,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  room  from  her  chair." 

Roxana  paused,  and  looked  full  into  the  eyes 
of  her  companion.  "  That  young  greenhorn  must 
have  carried  her  across.  She  can't  move  her 
limbs.  Mr.  Terriss  carries  her  around  like  a 
baby." 

"  So  I  have  heard,"  replied  Miss  Rebecca, 
slowly ;  "  but  she  walked  back  to  her  chair  beside 
me,  scarcely  leaning  011  the  arm  I  gave  her." 

Roxana  stared  in  silence  a  moment,  then  she 
took  her  hands  out  of  the  water,  and  crossing  to 
the  door  that  led  to  the  dining-room  closed  it,  her 
eyes  round  with  amazement. 


140  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Does  Lucindy  know  this  ?  "  she  asked,  coming 
back. 

"  No ;  Mrs.  Terriss  made  very  little  noise  until 
after  she  was  in  her  chair  again.  Then  the  girl 
came  in." 

"  "Well,"  said  Roxana,  sitting  down,  "  I  am 
beat." 

"  What  shall  we  do  ? "  said  Miss  Rebecca. 
"  Something  must  be  done." 

"  Land  o'  liberty,  you  don't  s'pose  she  likes  to 
set  there  till  she  most  takes  root,  do  you  ?  What 
on  earth  is  the  explanation  of  it  ?  " 

"  I  think  she  must  have  come  to  believe  that 
she  is  helpless.  There  have  been  such  cases,  you 
know." 

"  Well,  my  way  would  be  to  go  in  there  and 
say,  '  You  can  walk  all  right,  if  you  only  think  so, 
Mrs.  Terriss.  Come  out  and  see  what  a  good 
sunny  kitchen  you  've  got.' ' 

Miss  Rebecca  sighed.  "  She  would  only  be  as 
angry  with  you  as  she  is  with  Dr.  Ramsey,  who,  I 
think,  must  be  very  simple  or  else  a  genius." 

"  Well,  he  ain't  any  genius,  just  put  that  down  ; 
but  he  's  put  me  in  a  muddle,  I  know  that.  I 
can't  do  for  Mrs.  Terriss  and  feel  as  I  have  done." 

"  Roxana,"  said  Miss  Rebecca  earnestly,  "  I  have 
not  told  you  this  to  set  you  against  her.  Think 
how  terribly  she  is  to  be  pitied  in  her  delusion. 
We  must  help  her,  if  we  can.  I  doubt  if,  at  this 
moment,  she  realizes  that  I  saw  her  outside  her 
chair.  I  must  help  her,  for  her  own  and  her  hus- 


MISS  REDMOND'S  DISCOVERY.  141 

band's  sake.  It  must  be  my  work,  else  why  was  I 
led  in  at  that  moment  to  see  her?  O  Roxana,  I 
dread  it.  Help  me  to  the  best  way.  Help  me  to 
think  it  out ;  "  and  to  Mrs.  Sherritt's  consternation 
Miss  Redmond  bowed  her  head  ou  the  edge  of  the 
sink,  and  burst  into  tears. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A   GOLDEN   MORNING. 

WITH  the  ability  to  come  and  go  as  he  would, 
even  within  the  narrow  limits  of  the  house  and 
dooryard,  life  became  again  a  thing  worth  having 
to  Terriss  Chester.  He  could  read,  he  could  paint, 
he  could  walk  until  his  slender  stock  of  strength 
was  consumed,  and  then  he  could  sleep  for  an  hour  ; 
and  he  began  to  feel  the  slow  return  of  his  old 
energy. 

"  He  does  seem  to  have  a  realizin'  sense  o'  the 
trouble  I  've  took  for  him,"  Roxana  confided  to 
Phyllis,  "  and  that 's  more  than  most  men  would 
feel ;  but  I  just  long  for  the  dear,  happy  time  when 
he  can  go  off  to  the  minister's  and  stay,  say  half  a 
day.  A  man  around  the  house  all  the  time  always 
was  awful  wearin'  to  me." 

"  You  will  not  have  it  to  bear  long,"  said  Phyl- 
lis. "  He  has  come  straight  up  since  the  drive 
with  Mr.  Bellows,  and  there  is  a  look  in  his  eyes 
when  he  stands  at  the  window  or  on  the  steps  like 
that  of  a  wild  creature  in  a  cage.  When  he  can 
escape,  he  will  go.  He  has  been  asking  me  all 
about  the  walks  near  here,  and  the  woods.  How 
lovely  it  must  be  to  know  how  to  sketch  as  he 
doesl" 


A   GOLDEN  MORNING.  143 

"  But  laws,"  said  Roxana  prosaically,  "  how  his 
paints  smell !  I  will  say,  though,  them  dark  red 
roses  he  did  look  just  as  though  you  could  pick 
'em  right  up,  and  it 's  a  good  thing  he  can  amuse 
himself  that  way  just  now,  seein'  he  can't  knit." 

Phyllis  laughed.  The  picture  of  their  deep- 
voiced,  gloomy-eyed  boarder  engaged  in  knitting 
was  particularly  amusing ;  but  she  did  not  reply. 
It  was  Wednesday  morning,  and  she  was  hurry- 
ing to  get  ready  for  the  anticipated  day  at  Beech 
Knoll.  She  suddenly  grew  solemn  as  she  stood 
before  the  glass.  "  Roxana,  can't  I  have  a  new 
dress?"  she  asked,  studying  her  reflection. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  paused,  arms  akimbo.  "  What 's 
the  matter  with  that  one  ? "  she  asked  kindly. 
"Nice,  good,  gray  silk.  'T  ain't  every  girl  o'  your 
age  has  a  silk  dress,  and  that  was  your  mother's 
best." 

"  Is  n't  it  too  old  for  me,  or  something  ?  "  re- 
turned the  girl.  "  I  think  I  look  better  in  my  cal- 
icoes ;  and  my  hat  is  a  fright  compared  to  Mrs. 
Redmond's." 

"  I  like  your  looks  first-rate,"  said  Roxana  com- 
fortingly. "  Don't  you  fret.  Mrs.  Redmond  has 
style  and  fashion  ;  but  you  've  got  a  whole  row  o' 
great-grandmothers." 

"  I  wonder  if  she  would  exchange,"  remarked 
Phyllis  audaciously.  "  I  would  give  a  great-grand- 
mother apiece  for  a  bonnet  and  dress  like  the  ones 
she  wore  here." 

"  Phyllis  Flower,  I  'm  surprised  at  you,"  ex- 
claimed Roxana,  horrified. 


144  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

The  girl  ran  to  her  and  threw  her  arms  around 
her  neck.  "  What  is  the  matter  with  me  ?  "  she 
murmured.  "  I  used  to  be  the  most  careless,  con- 
tented creature  in  the  world,  and  now  there  is  a 
buzz  of  longings  all  through  iny  head,  and  I  am 
always  expecting  something,  I  do  not  know  what." 

Roxana  looked  at  her  gravely,  then  took  her 
hand  and  led  her  across  the  room  to  where  hung  a 
photograph  of  Dr.  Joy. 

"  All  those  feelin's  are  ungrateful  to  him,  Phyl- 
lis," she  said  quietly,  "  and  they  ain't  the  best 
part  o'  your  nature,  either.  He  did  his  best  to 
train  your  mind,  and  I  've  done  mine  to  make  your 
body  healthy  and  useful.  Don't  tell  me  you  ain't 
enough  of  a  person  to  overcome  this  restlessness 
you  tell  about.  It  has  n't  got  any  great  hold  over 
you  yet,  and  do  you  nip  it  now,  right  in  the  bud." 

Phyllis  stood  silent  and  flushing.  "  I  do  not 
know  where  to  begin  to  nip,"  she  said  at  last. 

"  Begin  whenever  you  feel  discontented,"  re- 
turned Eoxana.  "  If  you  once  began  to  count 
your  blessin's,  you  would  be  surprised.  Of  all 
things  on  earth,  don't  be  mean.  It 's  mean  to  envy, 
it 's  mean  to  grumble,  it 's  mean  to  feel  cast  down 
'cause  somebody  else  is  set  up.  Take  Miss  Re- 
becca, a  disappointed,  tried  woman,  if  ever  there 
was  one.  Supposin'  she  looked  long-faced  because 
her  lot  is  different  from  that  sister-in-law's.  The 
best  thing  I  know  about  Mrs.  Redmond  is  the 
way  Miss  Rebecca  seems  to  be  fond  of  her.  She 
may  be  a  very  good  woman,  but  I  mistrust  all  her 


A    GOLDEN  MORNING.  145 

fine  doiu's  have  sort  of  upset  you.  Now  you  're 
goin1  there  to-day.  Do  you  go  armed.  Supposin' 
you  aiu't  dressed  in  the  latest  style.  You  '11  ap- 
pear better  behaved,  if  you  don't  think  about  it 
and  don't  feel  bad  about  it.  'T  ain't  anythin'  to 
feel  bad  about.  You  are  a  good-lookin'  girl,  Phyl- 
lis, and  you  know  how  to  talk  and  behave,  and 
you  're  goin',  because  you  are  invited,  to  see  Miss 
Rebecca.  There 's  one  thought  that  '11  always  give 
a  person  meekness  and  dignity  both.  It  is  this : 
I  am  just  as  dear  to  the  Almighty  Father  of  us  all 
as  anybody  else,  and  I  ain't  any  dearer  to  Him 
than  everybody  else.  When  you  see  Mrs.  Red- 
mond this  mornin',  you  think  o'  that,  and  it  '11  lift 
your  mind  right  up  off  your  hat." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  was  unusually  stirred,  and  it  was 
long  after  Phyllis  had  set  forth  on  her  walk  be- 
fore her  mind  settled  to  its  ordinary  calm. 

Things  were  slipping  out  of  their  accustomed 
grooves  and  running  wild.  Mrs.  Terriss  either 
self-deceived  or  a  hypocrite,  and  Phyllis  —  what 
was  the  matter  with  Phyllis  ?  Would  Roxana 
have  sufficient  penetration  and  worldly  wisdom  to 
meet  and  control  the  girl  under  new  conditions? 

She  went  with  a  mind  distrait  to  her  boarder's 
room,  carrying  the  beaten  egg  she  gave  him  in  the 
middle  of  the  morning,  into  which  he  always  poured 
a  spoonful  of  some  liquid  from  a  flask,  while  Mrs. 
Sherritt  averted  her  eyes. 

He  looked  up  from  his  book  as  she  came  in. 
"  This  is  the  last  time  you  must  do  this,"  he  said. 


146  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  I  will  come  to  the  table  for  my  meals  hereaf- 
ter, and  take  only  the  same  number  as  other 
people.  I  just  saw  Miss  Phyllis  pass  out  of  the 
gate." 

"Yes.  She  has  gone  to  spend  the  day  with 
Miss  Rebecca.  It  is  a  great  treat  for  her." 

"  Miss  Rebecca  appears  to  be  a  universal  favor- 
ite," replied  Terriss. 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  Roxana  rather  abstractedly. 
"  Miss  Rebecca  can  stand  anythin',  prosperity  or 
adversity.  She  was  just  the  same  in  the  old  days 
when  money  was  close,  as  she  is  now  when  it 's 
plenty." 

"  She  has  inherited  property?  " 

"  No,  her  brother  married  it,  and  then  died,  and 
she  lives  with  the  widow.  You  have  n't  seen  the 
widow?" 

"  No,  but  I  hope  some  time  to  see  her  and  thank 
her  for  the  pleasant  drive  I  owe  her.  Do  you  like 
that  little  rose-piece,  Mrs.  Sherritt  ?  "  for  Roxana 
had  absently  taken  up  the  water-color  as  she  stood, 
one  hand  on  her  hip. 

"  Well,  I  did  yesterday  when  it  was  pinned  up 
across  the  room,"  she  returned ;  "  but  now,  close  to, 
why  they  might  be  anythin'.  I  guess  you  hain't 
had  lessons  very  long,  have  you  ?  " 

Chester  gave  a  sudden  smile.  "  I  was  going  to 
ask  you  to  accept  it,  if  it  took  your  fancy,"  he 
said. 

Roxana  looked  pleased,  but  puzzled.  "  Well,  let 
me  put  it  up  where  it  was  yesterday  and  see,"  she 


A   GOLDEN  MORNING.  147 

remarked,  suiting  the  action  to  the  word  and  then 
retreating  from  the  sketch,  while  the  artist  looked 
on,  highly  entertained. 

"  There,  there,  now,"  she  exclaimed,  keeping  her 
eyes  fixed  on  the  flowers,  "  a  body  can  most  begin 
to  smell  'em.  I  do  say  it 's  clever  of  you  to  give 
it  to  me,"  and  she  walked  back  and  took  down 
the  sketch,  which  she  held  by  one  corner  while  she 
continued  :  "  You  was  speakin'  o'  Mrs.  Redmond. 
You  must  n't  repeat  it,  Mr.  Chester,  if  I  tell  you 
somethin'.  That  woman  or  girl,  whichever  you  've 
a  mind  to  call  her,  — 'sometimes  she  seems  about 
eighteen  and  again  she  's  the  grand  lady,  —  well, 
she  's  made  me  a  great  deal  o'  trouble.  I  want  to 
ask  you  what  may  seem  a  queer  question  ;  but 
you  're  a  city  man,  and  you  most  likely  know.  I 
want  to  ask  you  how  Phyllis  looked  to  you  as  she 
went  out  o'  the  gate." 

Mr.  Chester  was  puzzled.  "  I  could  not  see  her 
face." 

"  No  matter  about  her  face.  What  did  you 
think  of  her  general  looks,  —  her  clothes  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Sherritt,"  smiling  now,  grimly,  "  I  am  the 
last  man  in  the  world  to  know  anything  about  a 
lady's  dress." 

"  Could  n't  you  even  tell  if  she  looked  —  well, 
in  the  style,  as  people  call  it  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Terries  promptly,  "  she  did  not  look 
in  the  style." 

Roxana's  face,  which  had  been  unconsciously 
wistful,  fell. 


148  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Could  you  tell  what  was  the  matter? "  she 
asked.  "  You  see,  Mrs.  Redmond  is  in  the  style, 
or  I  suppose  she  must  be,  and  Phyllis  wants  to  be, 
too.  If  you  could  give  me  any  idea  "  — 

Terriss  stirred  restlessly.  "  I  could  n't,  to  save 
my  life.  Why  don't  you  ask  Mrs.  Redmond  ?  " 

"  Not  for  the  world,"  responded  Roxana. 

"  Buy  a  fashion  book,"  suggested  Chester. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  looked  contemptuous.  "  Do  you 
suppose  I  'd  turn  Phyllis  into  one  o'  them  wasp- 
waisted  simpletons  ?  I  see,"  she  continued,  with  a 
sigh,  "  you  don't  know  any  more  about  style  than 
I  do,  except  that  you  know  it  when  you  see  it.  I 
s'pose  it 's  right  enough  Phyllis  should  have  it,  if  it 
don't  cost  too  much.  I  don't  like  to  bother  Miss 
Rebecca.  She  has  her  own  style  and  sticks  to 
it  through  everything  but  't  ain't  natural  Phyllis 
should  be  willin'  to." 

"  It  is  to  be  regretted,"  said  Terriss,  beginning 
to  be  less  bewildered  and  more  amused  at  the  situ- 
ation, "  that  Mr.  Bellows  had  not  been  in  my 
place.  He  could  have  given  you  some  practical 
advice.  He  has  spent  his  life  among  devotees  of 
fashion,  while  I  have  only  observed  them  from 
afar,  vaguely." 

*'  Oh,  I  would  n't  ask  that  young  chap,  even  if  I 
had  him  here,"  replied  Roxana  shortly.  "  Well, 
we  '11  see,  we  '11  see,"  and  she  turned  and  left  the 
room. 

Terriss  smiled  to  himself  over  the  conversation. 
That  he  should  be  applied  to  for  advice  on  the 


A   GOLDEN  MORNING.  149 

subject  of  woman's  dress  was  a  contingency  he 
had  never  thought  of.  This  Mrs.  Redmond  seemed 
to  be  a  person  of  consequence.  She  had  capti- 
vated the  city  youth  and  the  country  maiden  alike. 
It  was  certainly  an  odd  circumstance  that  such  a 
woman  should  elect  to  live  in  Snowdon,  and  the 
fact  seemed  to  argue  a  retiring  nature. 

"  Probably  she  remains  here  but  little  of  the 
time,"  he  thought,  lighting  a  cigar  to  assist  his 
lazy  meditations.  "  The  fact  of  her  being  a  novel 
effect  among  these  people  proves  that.  As  for 
Tony's  judgment  —  well,  at  all  events  the  Red- 
mond family  have  placed  me  in  their  debt.  It  is 
hardly  becoming  that  I  should  gossip  about  them, 
even  to  my  own  thoughts." 

He  rose  and,  putting  on  a  light  overcoat  and 
taking  his  hat,  went  downstairs  into  the  spring 
sunshine.  He  walked  down  the  street,  his  hands 
behind  him,  and  as  he  went  his  thoughts  wandered 
away  from  Mrs.  Redmond  to  the  practical  affairs 
of  his  own  life.  He  ,would  willingly  remain  in 
this  country  spot  as  long  as  his  finances  would 
permit.  How  long  would  his  finances  permit? 

He  was  considering  this  problem  in  mental 
arithmetic  when  a  lady  mounted  on  horseback  ap- 
peared in  the  street.  An  experienced  horsewoman 
is  always  a  pleasing  sight.  Terriss  postponed  his 
calculations  to  enjoy  the  view  of  this  one.  Time 
was  not  precious  to  him  as  yet. 

The  lady's  horse  had  been  coming  at  a  great 
pace,  but  now  she  quieted  him,  and  it  was  almost  at 


150  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

a  walk  that  she  approached.  Chester,  indifferent 
at  first,  gazed  with  fully  awakened  interest  as  he 
realized  that  a  glorious  living  picture  was,  by  a 
kind  freak  of  fortune,  passing  his  way. 

The  shining  hair  and  the  exquisite  coloring  of 
the  lady,  the  dark  green  habit,  perfectly  fitting 
her  graceful  outlines,  the  arched  neck  and  proud 
step  of  her  coal  black  steed,  formed  an  apparition 
positively  startling  in  such  a  place,  and  seemed  to 
make  of  the  village  street  some  royal  avenue. 

The  lady  for  one  moment  let  her  gray  eyes  rest 
full  upon  Chester's  face.  Involuntarily,  his  hand 
went  to  his  hat.  She  lightly  touched  her  horse 
with  the  whip.  Chester's  hand  fell.  It  was  over. 

What  had  happened  ?  His  heart  beat.  His 
head  seemed  to  whirl.  He  suddenly  stopped  and 
turned.  No  one  was  in  sight. 

As  for  the  lady,  her  heart  was  beating  too.  The 
gray  eyes  shone.  She  knew  she  had  seen  the  man 
whom  she  had  come  thousands  of  miles  to  serve, 
and  who  had  so  roughly  repulsed  her.  For  the 
first  time  in  her  life,  she  had  coolly  planned  to  be 
observed ;  had  chosen  the  street  and  the  hour ;  and 
recognizing  by  the  slow  gait  and  the  general  ap- 
pearance of  the  convalescent  that  her  object  was 
attained,  had  reined  in  her  horse  and  passed  delib- 
erately in  order  to  see  and  to  be  seen. 

She  had  obtained  a  good  view  of  the  pale  face 
and  tall  figure,  had  seen  the  light  leap  into  the 
dark  eyes,  and  her  cheeks  glowed  as,  fully  satis- 
fied, she  cantered  briskly  down  a  side  street. 


A   GOLDEN  MORNING.  151 

Terriss  Chester  walked  back  toward  the  house 
with  a  quicker  step  than  he  had  used  since  his  ill- 
ness. He  strode  through  the  parlor  and  out  into 
the  low-ceiled  dining-room,  where  Roxana  met  him, 
looking  up  in  surprise. 

"  What 's  the  matter  ?  "  she  asked  involuntarily. 

"  Nothing.  I  —  I  have  just  been  taking  a  short 
walk.  We  were  talking  about  Mrs.  Redmond  this 
morning.  Has  she  — has  she  golden  hair  ?  " 

"  No,  not  exactly.     Kinder  reddish." 

"  Does  she  ride  a  black  horse,  and  is  she  very 
handsome  ?  " 

"  She  rides  a  black  horse  that 's  as  wild  as  a 
nightmare.  She  's  a  good-lookin'  woman, — straight 
and  healthy-lookin',  kinder  pale,  but  I  guess  that 
may  be  the  color  of  her  skin.  Why  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  nothing,"  replied  Chester  hastily.  "  I 
have  seen  her,  that  is  all,  and  I  —  well,  that 's  all, 
Mrs.  Sherritt.  Thank  you  ;  "  and  he  disappeared. 

Roxana  looked  after  him  meditatively.  "  There  's 
a  new  disease  cropped  out  in  Snowdon,"  she  mut- 
tered. "  It 's  Redmond  fever.  Scarlet  fever 's 
nothin'  to  it ;  and  if  I  don't  miss  of  it,  my  board- 
er 's  struck  down  now." 


CHAPTER  XIH. 

TRAILING   ARBUTUS. 

WHEN  Phyllis  came  home,  late  that  afternoon, 
the  boarder  looked  at  her  with  a  new  interest. 
Her  face  was  all  alight  with  the  pleasure  of  novel 
experiences. 

"  I  have  had  a  beautiful  time,  a  perfect  time," 
she  said,  as  she  seated  herself  opposite  Chester  at 
the  tea-table. 

Roxana  hovered  about,  with  her  usual  close  at- 
tention to  their  wants,  waiting  upon  the  table,  and 
throwing  in  an  observation  from  time  to  time, 
maintaining,  as  had  always  been  her  custom,  an 
air  of  equality,  reminding  one  that  she  was  fully 
entitled  to  a  seat  at  the  family  table,  provided  she 
chose  to  take  it,  only  she  never  did  choose  to 
do  so. 

She  regarded  Phyllis  now  with  an  air  half 
pleased,  yet  doubtful. 

"  Miss  Rebecca  made  you  have  a  good  time, 
eh  ?  "  she  questioned. 

"  She  was  good  to  me,  as  she  always  is,  but  Mrs. 
Redmond  did  the  most  to  entertain  me." 

"  You  like  her  better  than  you  did  ?  " 

"  I  know  her  better.  I  am  not  afraid  of  her 
any  more,  and  she  is  so  lovely !  She  showed  me 


TRAILING  ARBUTUS.  153 

piles  of  foreign  pictures  in  a  great  stereoptieon, 
and  described  them  so  that  I  feel  as  if  I  had  made 
a  European  tour  ;  and  she  let  me  ride  her  horse. 
Oh  !  "  exclaimed  Phyllis,  leaning  back  in  her  chair, 
"  I  cannot  eat  anything." 

"  I  dare  say  you  made  a  pretty  substantial  din- 
ner up  there,''  observed  Roxana. 

"  Such  a  dinner  !  "  sighed  the  girl.  "  I  did  not 
eat  very  much  of  it,  though,  it  was  so  pretty  to 
look  at ; "  and  again  she  drew  a  long  breath  of 
enjoyment. 

u  Well,  you  did  n't  have  any  of  it,  Mr.  Chester," 
said  Roxana.  "  Why  don't  you  eat  something?  " 

"  I  am  doing  very  well.  I  am  enjoying  Miss 
Phyllis's  retrospect  with  her." 

"  I  want  you  to  go  to  Beech  Knoll  as  soon  as 
you  can,  Mr.  Chester,"  said  Phyllis  earnestly.  "I 
feel  as  though  it  would  pour  strength  into  any  one 
just  to  walk  about  on  that  soft  grass,  and  sit  by 
the  river,  and  lie  in  a  hammock  in  the  cunningest 
little  sheltered  place  Mrs.  Redmond  has  among  a 
clump  of  trees." 

"  Phyllis  Flower,  you  're  stark  crazy  !  Mr. 
Chester  won't  lie  in  any  hammock  yet  awhile, 
unless  he  wants  to  be  sick  again." 

"  I  think,  Mrs.  Sherritt,  you  and  I  dread  that 
about  equally,"  remarked  Terriss,  smiling  at  the 
housekeeper's  consternation. 

"You're  lookin'  first-rate  to-night,"  returned 
Roxana  more  mildly. 

She  was  right ;  but  the   reflection  of   Phyllis's 


154  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

glowing  countenance  in  the  boarder's  face  was  a 
short-lived  brightness.  He  sat  by  the  parlor  win- 
dow for  some  time  after  tea  and  read  in  the  long 
twilight ;  but  his  author  might  have  been  Mother 
Goose  instead  of  Ruskin  for  all  the  sense  Chester 
obtained  from  his  pages.  They  were  illustrated 
pages,  illumined  by  his  own  fancy;  and  on  each 
leaf  the  picture  was  of  the  same  regally  graceful 
figure. 

Phyllis  flitted  about  the  room,  humming  a  little 
tune.  He  observed  that  she  looked  at  him  stealth- 
ily before  slipping  off  an  apron  she  had  put  on  to 
preserve  the  gray  silk  ;  then  she  jumped  into  a 
chair  and  hung  the  apron  scarf-fashion  over  the 
corner  of  a  picture. 

Chester  smiled.  He  knew  that  out  of  the  cor- 
ner of  his  eye  he  was  beholding  the  evidence  of 
evolution.  "  Do  you  like  the  effect  ?  "  he  asked, 
without  looking  up. 

Phyllis  whipped  the  apron  off  the  picture  and 
jumped  lightly  to  the  floor,  blushing  brightly. 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  she  said  courageously,  "  and  I 
believe  that  up  in  the  attic  I  can  find  something 
that  will  do  better  than  an  apron." 

"  Of  course  you  can,"  said  Chester  with  a  nod. 
"  The  attics  of  New  England  are  proverbial  trea- 
sure-houses." 

"  I  wish  you  would  n't  laugh  at  me,  Mr.  Ches- 
ter," returned  Phyllis  wistfully. 

"  I  'm  not  laughing  at  you.  I  am  envying  you,'' 
he  replied  curtly. 


TRAILING   ARBUTUS.  155 

She  came  nearer,  and  sat  down  on  a  low  stool 
and  looked  at  him. 

"  Envying  me !  What  for  ?  "  she  asked,  sur- 
prised and  curious. 

"  For  your  courage.  Why  don't  you  fret  and 
mope  because  your  parlor  is  n't  like  Mrs.  Red- 
mond's ?  I  should,  in  a  parallel  case." 

"  And  that  was  the  way  I  did  at  first ;  but  now 
it  is  different.  Mrs.  Redmond  filled  me  with  de- 
spair at  first ;  but  now  she  has  filled  me  with  cour- 
age. Not  that  I  talked  to  her  about  the  parlor, 
but  something  about  her  while  I  was  with  her  to- 
day braced  me  ;  and  I  thought,  why  should  n't  I 
learn  of  her  ?  I  have  common  sense  and  time, 
even  if  I  have  n't  much  money." 

"  Sensible,"  returned  Chester.  "  So  Mrs.  Red- 
mond's programme  is  first  to  fill  one  with  despair, 
and  then  with  courage,  is  it?  " 

"  That  was  the  way  I  took  her,"  explained  Phyl- 
lis simply.  "  I  suppose  she  has  been  the  same  all 
the  time  ;  but  you  are  n't  feeling  well,  to-night, 
Mr.  Chester.  Don't  you  want  me  to  read  to 
you?" 

Chester  smiled.  "You  have  come  to  believe 
that  is  a  panacea  for  all  my  woes,  I  believe.  I 
thank  you,  but  my  eyes  are  too  strong  now  to 
excuse  my  robbing  you  of  your  time." 

"  I  know  how  stupid  it  is  here  for  you,"  said 
Phyllis  timidly.  "  I  do  not  wonder  you  grow 
depressed." 

The  other  looked  at  her  in  some  surprise.     It 


156  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

was  a  totally  novel  experience  to  him  to  receive 
feminine  sympathy,  and  in  his  present  mood,  and 
from  this  humble  little  girl,  rather  soothing. 

"  I  fear  any  place  would  be  stupid  to  me  where 
I  had  only  myself  for  company,"  he  returned.  "  I 
am  a  failure,  Miss  Phyllis,  and  a  failure  is  always 
disagreeable." 

"  Dear  me !  do  not  say  such  a  thing,"  said  Phyl- 
lis, genuinely  shocked.  "  How  can  a  man  decide 
that  he  is  a  failure  before  his  life  is  half  over  ?  " 

Chester  shook  his  head  gloomily.  "  I  see  my 
future  as  plainly  as  if  I  had  already  lived  it.  It  is 
a  foregone  conclusion.  An  automatic  performance 
of  one  work  while  my  heart  is  in  another,  for  the 
indefinite  period  of  my  life." 

He  seemed  to  forget  Phyllis  as  he  finished,  look- 
ing out  into  the  darkening  village  street,  chafing 
to-night  more  restlessly  than  usual  at  his  circum- 
stances, his  slow-coming  strength,  his  poverty,  his 
baffled  hopes.  The  sore  sense  of  self-dissatisfac- 
tion which  was  his  constant  companion  seemed  to 
increase  with  sudden  vehemence.  He  threw  him- 
self back  in  his  chair,  and  his  eyes  fell  again  on  his 
silent  companion. 

"  I  suppose  you  know,  Miss  Phyllis,  an  old  bach- 
elor grows  more  selfish  every  day.  I  have  been 
imposing  upon  you  simply  because  you  are  good- 
natured." 

"  Do  not  mind  me,"  said  Phyllis  earnestly.  "  I 
am  so  sorry  you  feel  this  way  about  your  circum- 
stances ;  but  if  Mr.  Terriss  cannot  make  you  look 


TRAILING  ARBUTUS.  157 

at  them  differently,  of  course  I  cannot."  She 
sighed.  "  I  suppose  it  cannot  be  true,"  she  added, 
in  a  lower  tone,  "  but  it  does  seem  as  though,  if 
one  had  health  to  begin  with,  money  would  buy 
every  other  blessing  in  the  world." 

"  Yes  ;  but  one  may  pay  too  dearly  for  money," 
replied  Chester,  thinking  of  the  offer  he  had  re- 
fused within  a  month.  He  had  had  time  enough, 
since  coming  to  Snowdon,  to  think  over  what  that 
refusal  had  lost  him,  and  what  acceptance  would 
have  gained  him  ;  but  he  had  not  been  tempted  to 
regret  his  course. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  returned  Phyllis,  with  a  wise 
nod,  "  one  might  pay  too  dearly  for  money ;  and, 
Mr.  Chester,  there  are  so  many  things  to  enjoy  in 
the  world  without  it,  especially  in  springtime,"  she 
added,  with  enthusiasm. 

The  following  day,  Chester  concluded  to  try  his 
powers  further  than  he  had  yet  ventured  to  do. 
The  morning  was  fresh  and  beautiful ;  the  leaves 
were  large  on  the  maples,  and  the  birds  were  sing- 
ing at  their  house-hunting  as  they  flitted  from  tree 
to  tree  in  the  warm  sunshine. 

"  Indeed,"  thought  he,  as  he  stepped  out-of-doors, 
"  Phyllis  is  right.  There  is  a  great  deal  to  be 
enjoyed  without  money  in  the  springtime." 

He  hesitated  a  moment  when  he  had  reached  the 
street.  Perhaps  the  first  use  to  make  of  his  liberty 
should  be  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  minister  and  his 
wife.  The  sights  and  sounds  of  the  morning,  how- 


158  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

ever,  drew  him  too  strongly.  Phyllis  had  showed 
him  the  shortest  route  by  which  to  reach  the  unin- 
habited, wooded  part  of  the  village.  He  had  his 
sketch-book  under  his  arm,  and  his  hesitation  was 
brief.  He  walked  down  the  street  in  a  direction 
opposite  to  his  cousin's  house.  He  passed  by  the 
spot  in  the  road  where  yesterday  the  beautiful 
horsewoman  had  appeared  to  him  as  though  in  a 
fleeting  vision,  and  the  same  warmth  of  wonder 
and  admiration  flashed  through  him.  He  resented 
the  pertinacious  effect  of  the  fair  stranger. 

"  It  is  all  a  part  of  the  same  weakness,"  he 
thought.  "  This  wretched  fever  has  robbed  me 
of  mental  balance  as  well  as  my  balance  at  the 
bank." 

He  walked  faster,  with  the  instinct  of  one  in  the 
hopeless  endeavor  to  escape  from  himself,  reckless 
of  the  sti-ength  he  was  expending.  The  houses 
grew  farther  apart,  and  at  last  a  soft  line  of  wooded 
country  met  his  eye.  He  followed  a  green  ribbon 
road  which  led  within  the  shade,  and  breathed  a 
long  sigh  of  satisfaction  as  he  found  himself  among 
the  pines  and  oaks.  A  flat  rock  invited  him  to 
the  rest  which  he  began  to  need,  and  he  seated 
himself  and  looked  about  him.  The  sight  of  a  lit- 
tle wooded  slope,  at  the  foot  of  which  flowed  a 
brook,  caused  him  to  forget  his  fatigue,  and  taking 
his  block  of  paper,  to  make  a  rough  sketch  of  what 
he  saw.  Afterward  he  rose,  and  coming  closer  to 
the  little  murmuring  stream,  drank  ^f  its  crystal 
water  ;  then  he  turned  and  walked  deeper  into  the 


TRAILING   ARBUTUS.  159 

wood.  He  observed  with  delight  a  spray  of  the 
trailing  arbutus,  and  gathering  it,  drew  it  through 
his  button-hole.  The  air  was  life-giving  ;  the  lone- 
liness and  beauty  of  the  woods  most  grateful ; 
but  without  warning,  all  this  Arcadian  charm  was 
broken  by  a  most  unfitting  and  exasperating  sensa- 
tion. Mr.  Chester  realized  all  at  once  that  he  was 
only  a  convalescent,  and  that  Roxana's  good  care 
had  formed  in  him  a  habit  which  could  not  be  sud- 
denly broken  v.ith  impunity.  It  was  the  hour 
when  an  egg-nog  customarily  appeared  before  him, 
and  this  morning,  as  an  effect  of  the  exercise  and 
the  bracing  air,  he  felt  the  need  of  it  far  more  than 
usual.  In  short,  Mr.  Chester  all  at  once  became 
conscious  of  extreme  weakness  and  gnawing,  even 
to  the  extent  of  faintuess.  This,  in  view  of  his 
situation,  caused  him  some  anxiety  as  well  as  vex- 
ation. 

"I  will  turn  back  to  the  brook,"  he  thought, 
"  and  from  there  find  my  way  to  the  nearest 
house." 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he  attempted  to 
retrace  his  steps,  but  though  he  grew  constantly 
weaker  and  more  annoyed,  no  brook  met  his  view. 
He  stood  still  and  listened.  No  gurgling  sound 
rewarded  him.  Nothing  but  the  sleepy  swaying  of 
the  tree  tops  and  the  "  chipping "  of  the  bright- 
eyed  squirrels  broke  the  stillness. 

He  had  to  smile  even  in  his  vexation.  This 
strip  of  forest,  which  in  his  days  of  health  it  would 
be  a  morning's  stroll  to  traverse  from  end  to  end, 


160  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

now  seemed  a  labyrinth  to  his  weakness.  After 
fifteen  minutes'  further  effort,  he  rested  himself 
perforce.  "The  sooner  the  birds  begin  to  cover 
me,  the  better,"  he  muttered.  "  I  don't  see  any 
way  out  of  this."  A  rustling  in  the  bushes  near 
by  attracted  his  notice.  He  turned  and  beheld  a 
woman's  figure,  simultaneously  with  her  discovery 
of  him. 

The  newcomer  uttered  an  involuntary  exclama- 
tion of  surprise,  and  turned  hastily. 

"  My  good  woman !  Don't  be  frightened.  I 
am  "  —  but  Terriss  Chester  spoke  no  further.  A 
black  mist  swam  before  his  eyes.  He  put  up  his 
hand  as  if  to  brush  it  away,  and  fell  over  on  his 
side. 

The  stranger  saw  his  fall,  and  being  an  individ- 
ual of  good  muscle  and  good  nerve,  thought  bet- 
ter of  her  intended  flight.  Although  her  heart 

o  o 

beat  quickly,  with  the  thought  that  the  man  might 
be  really  a  tramp,  and  his  faint  a  feint,  she  ap- 
proached slowly  until  she  saw  his  face.  Its  pallor 
left  no  room  for  further  doubt,  and  in  a  moment 
she  was  on  her  knees  beside  him.  She  looked 
around  in  perplexity.  There  was  no  water  to  be 
had. 

She  rubbed  his  hands  vigorously.  It  was  all 
she  could  think  of  to  do ;  but  the  swoon  was  not 
a  deep  one,  and  in  a  minute  the  stranger's  eye- 
lids fluttered.  The  girl  took  off  her  broad  hat 
and  fanned  him  hopefully.  The  color  came  back 
slightly  to  his  lips.  With  a  dread  of  his  awaken- 


TRAILING  ARBUTUS.  161 

ing  came  a  realizing  sense  of  the  absurdity  of  the 
position. 

"  The  story  of  the  Sleeping  Beauty  reversed," 
she  thought ;  for  the  stranger's  features  were  sym- 
metrical enough  to  deserve  the  term  of  beauty. 

In  a  moment,  Chester's  eyes  opened.  He  gazed 
a  moment  with  a  dazed  expression  at  the  flushed 
face  of  the  brown  robed  figure  bending  near  him, 

o  o 

then  a  light  of  joyful  amazement  sprang  into  his 
eyes,  which  suddenly  gave  his  face  its  identity  to 
his  companion.  She  started  at  the  recognition. 

"  Where  are  we  ?  "  he  breathed. 

"  Do  you  feel  better  ?  "  asked  Elise,  rising,  and 
speaking  as  coolly  as  her  surprise  would  permit. 

"  Pardon  me  for  frightening  you,"  said  Terriss 
slowly,  raising  himself  until  he  leaned  against  a 
tree  trunk.  "  I  thought  pei-haps  I  had  died." 

"  I  hope  you  are  not  disappointed,"  returned 
his  companion,  held  in  her  place  by  the  sight  of 
his  weakness. 

"  Not  so  long  as  you  do  not  vanish." 

Mrs.  Redmond  thought  this  a  little  daring, 
but  the  gravity  of  the  other's  white  face  was  not  to 
be  denied. 

"  I  was  just  questioning  myself  as  to  what  would 
happen  to  you  if  I  should  vanish." 

"  I  think  my  hallucination  would  probably  be- 
come fact." 

"  Do  you  feel  so  very  ill  ?  How  came  you  to 
overtax  your  strength  so  imprudently  ?  " 

"  A  child  ought  to  be  able  to  do  what  I  have 


162  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

done.  Do  not  let  me  trouble  yon  any  longer.  I 
shall  rest  here  awhile,  and  then  I  shall  go  back. 
Only  tell  me  which  way  is  toward  the  village." 

Elise  indicated  the  direction,  but  still  hesitated. 

"  One  moment,  Mrs.  Redmond,"  said  Terriss, 
rising  slowly,  still  looking  at  her,  his  eyes  begin- 
ning to  shine  in  his  pale  face.  "  Perhaps  it  will 
be  long  before  I  have  an  opportunity  to  speak  to 
you  again.  I  thank  you  for  the  drive  you  gave 
me." 

"  You  know  who  I  am,  then,"  returned  the  other, 
surprised. 

"  Yes,  I  saw  you,  riding  —  when  ?  Why  it  was 
yesterday.  It  seems  much  longer.  My  name  is 
Chester.  You  lent  Tony  Bellows  your  horses  for 
my  benefit.  I  thank  you." 

Elise  stood,  her  bright  head  still  uncovered,  her 
hat  hanging  from  her  hand.  She  had  read  ad- 
miration in  so  many  faces.  What  was  it  in  this 
countenance  which  impressed  her  with  an  inten- 
sity as  of  white  heat  ?  Was  it  her  secret  know- 
ledge which  lent  force  to  the  effect  this  man  had 
upon  her  ? 

"  Yes,  I  know  who  you  are,"  she  said  slowly. 
She  waited  a  moment,  and  he  forgot  everything, 
while  hanging  upon  her  words.  "  I  think,"  she 
continued,  "  that  as  my  house  is  rather  near  by, 
you  had  better  come  with  me." 

Had  she  held  out  her  lovely  hand  and  offered  to 
lead  him  into  the  celestial  regions,  Chester  could 
not  have  accepted  with  greater  gratitude. 


TRAILING  ARBUTUS.  163 

"  You  could  not  possibly  get  back  to  Mrs.  Slier- 
ritt's  in  time  for  dinner,"  she  added. 

"  Oh,  no,  not  possibly,"  returned  Terriss. 

Elise  smiled  at  the  simplicity  of  his  manner. 
"  I  suppose  it  would  be  rude  to  ask  you  why  you 
had  not  more  common  sense,"  she  said. 

Chester  shook  his  head.  "  It  is  strange,"  he 
replied.  "  But  the  morning  was  beautiful,  —  and 
I  have  met  you." 

"  Well,  we  will  go.  Do  you  feel  strong  enough 
to  walk  now?  " 

"  Yes.  Oh,  yes."  This  enchantress  had  not  only 
exorcised  by  her  glance  his  restlessness  and  self- 
distrust,  but  he  felt  that  wherever  she  led  it  was 
as  though  the  magnet  said  to  the  needle,  "  Fol- 
low !  "  He  could  follow  and  know  nothing  of  weak- 
ness. 

"  I  see  you  have  been  more  fortunate  than  I," 
she  said,  as  they  walked  on.  "  You  have  found 
some  arbutus.  My  errand  this  morning  was  to 
search  for  it,  but  it  has  escaped  me  thus  far." 

"  No,  you  have  found  some,"  said  Terriss,  "  if 
you  will  take  this  little  spray.  I  think  if  we  turn 
back  I  could  find  for  you  the  place  where  it  was 
growing." 

"  Turn  back  ?  By  no  means,"  answered  Elise. 
"  It  seems  you  require  a  sober,  common-sensical 
person  to  remind  you  that  you  are  weak.  Hereaf- 
ter, I  advise  you  to  invite  Mrs.  Sherritt  to  accom- 
pany you  in  your  rambles." 

Chester  received  this  humorous  suggestion  with 


164  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

the  same  wistful,  shining  look  that  he  had  worn 
since  his  waking.  His  head  felt  light;  the  whole 
adventure  through  which  he  was  passing  seemed  at 
least  improbable.  There  was  a  tranquillity  upon 
him  which  was  as  unnatural  as  the  rest.  If  he 
should  waken  now  in  Roxana's  best  chamber,  it 
would  surprise  him  less  than  to  have  this  tran- 
scendent good  fortune  continue. 

"  We  are  Dearly  there,"  said  Elise  encourag- 
ingly, putting  on  her  shade  hat  as  they  came  out 
into  the  sunshine.  "There,  you  see  the  roof  of 
the  house  yonder  among  those  beeches." 

"  You  live  there  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  that  is  Beech  Knoll.  Really,  Mr.  Ches- 
ter, if  you  grow  any  paler,  I  shall  insist  upon  your 
sitting  down  and  waiting  until  I  can  send  you  some 
wine." 

"  No ;  let  me  come  with  you,"  he  answered 
quietly. 

There  was  a  gate  which  led  into  the  grounds  at 
the  rear  of  the  house,  and  this  Elise  opened.  Her 
companion  followed  her  within,  and  soon  Rebecca 
had  the  surprise  of  seeing  them  advance  together 
toward  the  side  piazza,  upon  which,  so  mild  was  the 
day,  the  door  stood  open. 

"  Well,  Elise  is  the  most  astonishing  person," 
thought  Miss  Redmond,  starting  up.  "  One  can 
never  count  upon  her ;  but  it  is  not  often  that  she 
is  as  unconventional  as  this/' 

She  came  out  upon  the  piazza,  and  was  imme- 
diately struck  by  the  guest's  pallor.  "  Why,  Mr. 


TRAILING  ARBUTUS.  165 

Chester,"  she  said  anxiously,  "  this  is  a  long  walk 
for  you.  It  has  been  too  much." 

Terriss  raised  his  hat,  and  then  sank  upon  a 
step  that  led  up  to  the  piazza.  Mrs.  Redmond 
smiled  upon  him  and  nodded. 

"  Faint  as  much  as  you  like,  now,"  she  said 
cheerfully.  "  At  the  same  time,  if  you  could  put 
it  off  five  minutes,  you  shall  have  an  armchair, 
and  some  lunch,  and  a  good  rest.  Rebecca,  take 
care  of  Mr.  Chester  a  minute ; "  and  she  ran  lightly 
up  the  steps  and  into  the  house. 

"  Faint !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Redmond,  descend- 
ing to  the  young  man's  side.  "  What  is  my  sis- 
ter talking  about  ?  I  hope  you  have  n't  been 
faint." 

"  I  have.  I  am  very  much  ashamed  of  it,"  said 
Terriss,  with  a  wan  smile.  "  I  shall  not  do  it 
again." 

"  Well,  I  will  not  make  you  talk  now,"  said 
Rebecca  kindly.  "  Come  into  the  house  as  soon 
as  you  are  able,  and  you  shall  lie  down." 

Chester  rose  at  once.  "  This  giddiness  is  the 
most  annoying  thing  that  I  have  suffered  from," 
he  replied  ;  "  but  I  thank  it  for  having  brought  me 
here." 

Scarcely  had  Miss  Rebecca  placed  him  in  the 
most  comfortable  chair  in  the  cozy  sitting-room, 
when  the  door  opened,  and  Mrs.  Redmond  appeared 
with  a  small  silver  salver,  on  which  were  wine  and 
crackers. 

"  Take  some  of  this,"  she  said,   "  and   in  a  few 


166  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

minutes  we  will  have  lunch.  You  do  feel  better 
already,  I  am  sure." 

Chester  looked  at  her,  lovelier  even  in  the  simple 
brown  gown  than  she  had  been  on  the  high  mettled 
horse,  and  forgot,  simply  forgot,  to  answer. 

Rebecca  regarded  him,  and  recognized  the  well- 
known  symptoms. 

"  O  foolish  young  man !  "  she  thought.  "  How 
much  better  you  would  do  to  look  the  other  way. 
Hopeless,  worse  than  hopeless,  even  if  you  were 
not  Terriss  Chester." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   HELPING   HAND. 

Miss  REDMOND  felt  heavily  the  responsibility 
incurred  by  her  accidental  discovery  of  Mrs.  Ter- 
riss'  ability.  Her  last  thought  before  sleeping  at 
night  and  her  first  in  the  morning  was  of  the 
invalid  and  her  patient  husband.  Once  the  idea 
suggested  itself  to  her  of  taking  the  minister  into 
her  confidence ;  but  she  dismissed  it  instantly. 
Surely  she  and  Roxana  between  them  ought  to 
have  sufficient  wit  to  solve  the  problem.  At  last 
a  thought  occurred  to  Rebecca  which  she,  with 
some  misgivings  and  with  flushing  cheeks,  laid 
before  Mrs.  Sherritt,  who  received  the  plan  with 
acclamations. 

"  You  've  hit  it,  Miss  Rebecca.  I  should  n't 
wonder  a  mite  if  you  had  !  "  exclaimed  the  latter. 

"  The  only  trouble  is,  it  is  deception,"  said  Miss 
Rebecca  doubtfully. 

"  Law !  What  if  it  is  ?  You  go  ahead.  If  we 
don't  have  anythin'  worse  'n  that  to  answer  for  at 
the  last  day,  I  shall  be  glad.  Only  think,  Miss 
Rebecca,  of  Mr.  Terriss  !  For  one,  I  'd  take  some 
punishment  hereafter  for  the  sake  o'  givin'  him  a 
little  easier  row  to  hoe  here." 

Thus  braced  and  encouraged,  Rebecca  set  forth 


168     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

for  the  parsonage.  As  she  entered  the  gate,  the 
minister  was  just  coming  down  the  steps  of  his 
house.  His  face  illumined  suddenly  at  sight  of 
her,  and  he  raised  his  hat  courteously. 

"  I  am  always  glad  to  see  you  coining  here,  Miss 
Rebecca,"  he  said. 

"  Is  Mrs.  Terriss  as  well  as  usual  ?  " 

"  About  the  same.  She  has  seemed  rather  more 
depressed  since  the  nervous  attack  of  the  other 
day,  and  she  has  often  spoken  of  wishing  to  see 
you.  I  hope"  —  Rebecca  was  now  standing  beside 
him  —  "  that  your  kindness  and  sympathy  are  broad 
enough  to  excuse  that  exhibition  of  weakness. 
Mrs.  Terriss  is  weak,  very  unhappy  in  spite  of 
the  little  I  can  do  for  her,  and  very  much  to  be 
pitied." 

"  I  believe  all  that,"  replied  Rebecca  earnestly, 
"  and  with  all  my  heart  I  am  anxious  to  help  her." 

The  minister  shook  his  head.  "  I  ought  not  to 
discourage  you,"  he  said,  "  and  every  hour  which 
you  help  her  to  pass  less  sadly  is  a  blessing ;  but 
her  help  must  come  from  within  and  not  from 
without.  She  does  her  best,"  he  added  hastily,  — 
"  doubtless  she  does  her  best.  Good-morning,  Miss 
Redmond,  good-morning ;  "  and  apparently  forget- 
ting that  it  would  have  been  more  according  to 
the  laws  of  hospitality  for  him  to  remain  and  usher 
the  visitor  into  the  house,  the  minister  hurried 
down  to  the  gate. 

Rebecca  did  not  look  after  him,  but  as  she  rang 
the  door-bell,  a  little  smile  was  on  her  lips.  "  I 


THE  HELPING  HAND.  169 

am  proud  to  have  loved  him,  and  no  other  man," 
she  thought.  "  God  help  me  now  to  help  his 
wife." 

She  found  Mrs.  Terriss  looking  exceedingly  dis- 
contented in  her  neat  and  pretty  surroundings. 

"  Good-morning,  Miss  Redmond,"  sighed  the  in- 
valid. "  It  is  a  kind  fate  that  has  sent  you  to 
break  the  monotony  of  my  day.  Mr.  Terriss' 
calls  take  him  away  so  much.  I  should  think  peo- 
ple might  excuse  him  when  they  know  how  I  need 
his  society ;  but  it  is  a  selfish,  unfeeling  world. 
So  few  are  able  to  look  beyond  their  own  trials 
and  take  those  of  others  into  consideration.  Now 
you,  Miss  Redmond,  of  course  I  appreciate  your 
kindness  in  coming  to  see  poor,  dull  me,  but  after 
all,  you  have  nothing  to  detain  you ;  you  have 
health,  a  luxurious  home,  no  cares  or  responsibili- 
ties, —  an  enviable  lot  altogether.  I  am  sure  you 
cannot  have  a  trial  in  the  world." 

"  I  have  many  blessings  certainly,"  replied  Re- 
becca calmly  ;  "  but  do  you  know,  Mrs.  Terriss, 
your  deprivations  haunt  me  much  of  the  time  ?  " 
The  invalid  sighed,  and  cast  down  her  eyes  with 
the  modest  air  of  one  listening  to  a  merited  com- 
pliment. "  And  I  am  not  ready  to  believe  your 
case  hopeless,  in  these  days  of  advanced  skill." 

Mrs.  Terriss  looked  up  with  her  strange,  search- 
ing glance.  "  You  ought  to  know,  Miss  Redmond, 
that  my  husband  and  I  would  hardly  settle  down 
to  this  trial  were  it  an  avoidable  one." 

"  Yes,  I  did  think  so  at  first,"  replied  Rebecca 


170  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

firmly,  "then  I  saw  that  settling  down  into  a 
groove,  if  you  are  salvable  physically,  was  ruin  to 
you.  Oh,  look  out  there,  Mrs.  Terriss ; "  the  speaker 
drew  back  the  curtain  and  the  spring  sunshine 
streamed  across  the  carpet.  "  What  effort  would 
you  not  make  to  call  the  privilege  your  own  of 
walking  across  that  grass  and  watching  the  flowers 
spring  in  your  garden  bed  ?  Think  of  the  glad 
surprise  to  your  husband  if  he  could  come  home 
some  afternoon  and  find  you  standing  at  the  door 
to  greet  him,  if  he  could  see  you  sitting  opposite 
him  at  table  after  all  these  years.  Would  it  not 
be  like  being  born  anew  ?  " 

The  invalid  stared  at  Rebecca  with  wide,  star- 
tled eyes,  and  grasped  the  sides  of  her  chair  ner- 
vously. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  drawing  these  tantaliz- 
ing pictures  ?  "  she  cried.  "  Do  you  call  it  kind- 
ness to  add  to  my  misery  by  suggestions  which  can 
never  be  realized  ?  " 

"  I  believe  they  can  be  realized,"  returned  Re- 
becca, with  increased  earnestness  ;  "  only  you  must 
long  for  it  with  all  your  heart." 

"  How  dare  you  imply  that  I  do  not  long  to  be 
well !  "  said  Mrs.  Terriss,  frightened  and  angry. 

"  I  do  not  say  that.  I  believe  if  you  thought 
there  were  grounds  for  hope  you  would  be  all 
eagerness.  I  do  believe  there  are  grounds  for 
hope,  and  it  has  excited  me.  Will  you  put  your- 
self in  my  hands  for  an  experiment,  Mrs.  Ter« 
riss?" 


THE  HELPING  HAND.  171 

Miss  Redmond's  cheeks  were  flushed,  and  her 
gentle  gray  eyes  looked  into  the  black  ones  with 
such  earnestness  that  Mrs.  Terriss  shifted  her  posi- 
tion uneasily. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?  "  she  demanded  ungra- 
ciously. "  As  you  may  imagine,  I  am  weary  of  ex- 
periments." 

"  I  want  you  to  let  Roxana  come  and  rub  your 
limbs  every  day  for  a  week  with  a  liniment  I  have 
found,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  you  will  be 
able  to  walk  from  your  bed  to  your  chair  with 
scarcely  any  assistance." 

"  I  would  rather  not.  I  do  not  enjoy  massage 
even  from  an  experienced  operator." 

"  But  if  I  assure  you  that  this  will  give  you  the 
use  of  your  limbs  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  if  I  believed  that  "  —  said  the  in- 
valid, stirring  restlessly. 

"Then  why  not  try  it?  It  is  a  simple  thing 
that  cannot  hurt  you.  Dear  Mrs.  Terriss,  do  trust 
me,  try  it.  You  will  thank  me  so  when  you  are 
walking." 

"  Well,  well,  I  will  try  it,"  was  the  petulant 
response.  "  I  confess  I  do  not  understand  why 
you  are  so  persistent." 

"  Not  understand  !  "  exclaimed  Rebecca,  so  gen- 
uinely astonished  that  the  ejaculation  was  involun- 
tary. "  I  see  you  in  prison  and  believe  you  might 
be  free.  Shall  I  not  lift  a  hand  to  save  you  ?  " 

That  afternoon  when  the  minister  returned,  he 
found  his  wife  depressed  and  inclined  to  tears. 


172  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  You  have  not  been  alone  many  hours,  I  hope, 
Lily.  I  thought  Miss  Redmond  would  cheer  you 
and  make  you  feel  better." 

"  Well,  she  did  n't.  I  am  disappointed  in  Miss 
Redmond,  Philip." 

The  minister  took  his  accustomed  seat  opposite 
his  wife's  chair.  "  Are  you  ?  I  am  sorry." 

"  Yes,  she  has  not  the  refined  nature  I  thought 
at  first.  Like  most  old  maids,  she  must  have  her 
peculiarity,  I  suppose ;  but  meddling  is  the  last 
fault  I  should  have  selected  for  her." 

Philip  Terriss  never  contradicted  his  wife.  He 
had  long  since  learned  to  treat  her  as  an  unrea- 
soning being,  and  ordinarily  he  listened  patiently 
to  all  that  she  had  to  say  on  any  subject.  This 
one,  however,  he  found  unbearable. 

"What  have  you  been  reading  to-day?"  he 
asked  abruptly. 

"Nothing.  Miss  Redmond  quite  unfitted  me  for 
everything.  You  have  no  idea  what  an  eccentric 
creature  she  is,  after  all.  Will  you  believe  that 
she  has  some  quack  medicine  that  she  is  deter- 
mined to  try  on  me  ?  It  is  only  to  be  used  ex- 
ternally, so  I  consented,  in  order  to  be  rid  of  her ; 
but  she  did  fatigue  me  inexcusably." 

"  Something  she  wants  you  to  be  rubbed  with  ?  " 
asked  Philip,  looking  gravely  into  the  discontented 
face. 

"  Yes.  Mrs.  Sherritt  is  to  do  it ;  and  in  a  week 
I  am  to  walk." 

"  Walk  !  "  exclaimed  the  minister. 


THE  HELPING  HAND.  173 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  quite  a  miracle  is  to  be  worked,  you 
see.  I  hope  you  will  not  be  too  disappointed  when 
it  fails." 

He  shook  his  head.  "  No,  ray  poor  wife,  no," 
he  said,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  O  Philip  !  "  she  exclaimed,  extending  to  him 
her  hand ;  "  you  are  the  only  one  who  under- 
stands me,  and  yet  you  must  always  be  going 
away  and  leaving  me  to  the  mercy  of  people  who 
have  no  pity  on  my  nerves,  no  regard  for  my  condi- 
tion." 

So  she  went  on  for  some  time,  bemoaning  her- 
self, her  husband  holding  her  hand  and  bowing 
his  head  above  it  while  he  listened,  in  an  attitude 
which  years  had  rendered  familiar. 

The  current  of  the  mournful  tide  was  stemmed 
by  the  entrance  into  the  room  of  Lucindy,  who  an- 
nounced that  a  gentleman  waited  in  the  parlor  to 
see  Mr.  Terriss. 

The  minister  left  the  room,  and  soon  returned 
with  a  stranger,  whose  appearance  immediately 
turned  Mrs.  Terriss  from  the  consideration  of  her 
trials,  and  set  her  to  wondering  if  her  hair  was 
becomingly  arranged. 

The  newcomer  was  a  handsome  man,  and  hand- 
some men  were  rare  as  visitors  to  the  minister's 
invalid  wife.  He  was  tall,  overtopping  Mr.  Ter- 
ris  by  half  a  head,  and  he  had  long,  sombre  dark 
eyes,  and  there  was  a  dissatisfied  expression  in 
them  and  in  his  whole  face. 

"  This  is  our  cousin,  Terriss  Chester,  Lily,"  said 


174  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

the  minister ;  and  the  stranger  came  forward  to 
shake  the  offered  hand. 

"  I  have  heard  much  about  you,  cousin  Terriss," 
said  the  lady,  fixing  the  stranger  with  her  pierc- 
ing, eager  gaze.  "You  have  been  an  invalid,  too, 
but  unlike  myself  you  have  had  hopes  of  health, 
which  are  now  realized.  Are  you  quite  yourself 
again  ?  " 

"Not  altogether,  thank  you,  but  I  am  on  the 
road  to  health.  I  owe  cousin  Philip  a  debt  of 
eternal  gratitude  for  finding  a  place  like  Snowdon 
for  me  to  convalesce  in,  and  then  for  visiting  me 
so  often." 

"  So  your  opinion  of  Snowdon  has  improved ;  I 
am  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  the  minister. 

Chester  looked  at  him,  and  then  away  again. 
He  had  forgotten  his  many  animadversions  on  the 
village  before  discovering  what  a  jewel  it  con- 
tained. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  he  said  hastily.  "  I  have  been  out 
and  have  discovered  its  good  points,  —  its  woods, 
you  understand,  and  its  views,  —  and,  of  course,  its 
very  pure  air.  Very  fine,  very  desirable,  you  know. 
Oh,  yes,  —  I  like  Snowdon." 

"There  are  some  very  pleasant  people  here," 
returned  the  minister,  "  when  one  finds  them 
out." 

"  I  am  no  acquisition  socially,"  returned  Ches- 
ter, "  but  if  the  lady  who  found  me  out  is  a  speci- 
men of  Snowdon  society,  you  are  certainly  fortu- 
nate. You  know  who  I  mean  —  Miss  Redmond." 


THE  BELPING  BAND.  175 

"  Yes,  we  know  Miss  Redmond,"  said  Mrs.  Ter- 
riss  quickly.  "  You  say  she  found  you  out  ?  " 

"  I  mean  that  I  made  her  acquaintance  in  my 
sick-room,  where  she  came  to  help  care  for  me." 

"  Just  a  little  officious,  dear  Miss  Redmond," 
remarked  Mrs.  Terriss.  "  Well-meaning,  oh,  no 
doubt  well  meaning,  and  for  that  we  should  excuse 
her  eccentricities.  I  wonder  why  it  is,  cousin  Ter- 
riss, that  unmarried  women  past  middle  life  are  so 
apt  to  be  eccentric." 

"  I  wish  I  had  met  more  persons  eccentric  in 
Miss  Rebecca's  line,''  returned  Chester,  with  his 
customary  bluntness,  regarding  his  hostess  with  an 
open  expression  of  astonishment. 

Mrs.  Terriss  smiled  upon  him  with  a  look  which, 
made  her  face  more  eerie  than  usual. 

"  Your  acquaintance  is  not  so  full  of  experience 
as  mine,  remember,  cousin  Terriss." 

He  would  have  spoken  quickly,  but  the  minister, 
sitting  back  in  the  room,  slightly  shook  his  head, 
and  the  guest,  not  entirely  comprehending,  took 
refuge  in  silence. 

"  Much  as  I  have  seen  of  Miss  Redmond,  my 
affliction  has  prevented  my  seeing  her  home," 
continued  the  invalid.  "  She  is  quite  dependent, 
you  know,  on  her  sister-in-law,  a  person  who  cer- 
tainly does  not  spend  much  of  her  time  in  visiting 
the  sick.  Every  one  says  that  their  house  is  very 
beautiful." 

"I  was  there  yesterday,"  remarked  Chester 
laconically,  in  the  silence  that  followed. 


176  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Oh,  you  have  been  there,"  said  Mr.  Terriss, 
his  interest  reviving  at  the  thought  that  Chester 
had  met  his  would-be  benefactress.  "You  saw 
the  lady  of  the  manor,  I  presume  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  returned  Terriss  shortly. 

"  Now,  then,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Terriss,  with  what 
was  intended  to  be  an  arch  manner,  "your  cou- 
sin Philip  and  I  are  much  hurt  that  you  visited 
Beech  Knoll  before  coming  to  us.  Are  n't  we, 
Philip?" 

"  I  should  not  have  thought  of  doing  such  a 
thing,"  said  the  guest  uncomfortably.  "  It  was  ac- 
cident. I  had  walked  too  far  in  the  woods  and 
overtaxed  my  strength  "  — 

"  Oh,  a  story,  a  story,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Terriss, 
clasping  her  hands  with  a  movement  which  ripened 
the  guest's  unpleasant  impression  into  positive  in- 
tolerance. "  Do  go  on,  cousin  Terriss." 

He  shifted  restlessly,  and  scowled.  "A  very 
short  story,"  he  returned.  "  I  found  I  must  seek 
the  nearest  house,  and  it  proved  to  be  —  Beech 
Knoll." 

"  I  am  glad  you  have  been  there,"  said  the  min- 
ister, "  because  as  a  homestead  it  is  the  pride  of 
the  village." 

"  Yes,  we  forgive  you,"  added  Mrs.  Terriss 
graciously,  "  provided  in  future  you  give  us  the 
greater  number  of  your  visits.  You  belong  to  us, 
remember." 

The  guest  stirred  uneasily  under  her  smile  and 
glance.  "  I  am  not  a  visiting  man,"  said  Chester 


THE   HELPING   HAND.  177 

shortly.  "  I  wish  I  might  be  of  service  to  you  in 
any  manner  comparable  to  cousin  Philip's  to  me, 
but  I  have  not  the  faculty  of  amusing  anybody, 
not  even  myself." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  more  difficult  to  amuse  than 
I  am.  At  all  events,  we  must  become  better  ac- 
quainted. Perhaps  I  prefer  the  conversation  of 
a  black-haired  man  to  that  of  a  white-haired  wo- 
man as  a  diversion.  Our  tastes  are  not  all  alike, 
you  know.  Oh,"  as  the  guest  rose,  "  must  you  go 
so  soon  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  weary  you,"  returned  Terriss, 
drawing  a  breath  of  relief  at  finding  himself  upon 
his  feet.  "  Cousin  Philip,  you  need  not  trouble 
yourself  to  see  me  out." 

But  the  minister  insisted,  and  after  shaking 
hands  with  Mrs.  Terriss  and  receiving  a  parting 
injunction  to  consider  their  house  his  home,  Ches- 
ter strode  out  into  the  narrow  hall.  The  thought 
occurred  to  him  that,  as  it  was  so  near  the  hour  for 
the  noon  meal,  it  was  strange  his  hostess  had  not 
asked  him  to  remain.  Each  instant  he  feared  Mr. 
Terriss  would  give  the  invitation,  but  no  word 
came.  The  guest  stood  awkwardly  a  moment  at 
the  door,  doubtful  if  he  ought  not  to  refer  to  his 
cousin's  wife,  and  expecting  at  least  that  the  min- 
ister would  himself  speak  of  her  ;  but  the  expecta- 
tion was  not  fulfilled.  Mr.  Terriss,  as  he  opened 
the  hall  door,  referred  to  the  beauty  of  the  season, 
and  congratulated  Chester  on  his  so  nearly  restored 
health,  all  in  his  usual  kind  and  simple  manner; 


178  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

and  as  Terriss  parted  from  him,  standing  on  the 
steps,  the  gloss  on  his  shiny  coat  very  evident  in 
the  sunlight,  he  felt  a  new  respect  for  his  cousin, 
not  unmingled  with  awe  at  what  he  vaguely  felt 
was  not  insensibility  but  a  sublime  patience. 

"  What  do  men  do  that  sort  of  thing  for  ?  "  he 
asked  himself,  fuming,  as  he  walked  homeward., 
"  There  was  a  time  when  cousin  Philip  was  free. 
Why  did  n't  something  or  somebody  prevent  him 
from  tying  himself  to  that  uncharitable,  vain,  shal- 
low appendage  ?  Why  could  n't  he  have  met  Miss 
Rebecca  Redmond,  for  instance?" 

Thinking  of  Miss  Rebecca  was  but  a  short  step 
from  thinking  of  Mrs.  Redmond,  and  in  a  flash, 
Chester  had  forgotten  Mrs.  Terriss'  restless  eyes 
and  faded  archness,  forgotten  cousin  Philip's  weary 
lot,  in  going  back  to  live  over  the  two  blissful 
hours  of  yesterday,  —  hours  when  he  had  been  lifted 
above  every  adverse  circumstance  of  life  into  an 
enchanted  atmosphere,  never  to  be  forgotten.  Af- 
ter his  experience  of  the  morning,  he  found  it  a 
thing  to  exult  in  that  he  was  free,  —  free  to  adore, 
if  only  at  a  humble  distance,  the  star  that  had 
dawned  upon  his  horizon. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

COUNTER-IRRITANTS. 

AND  now  there  was  a  bond  between  Phyllis  and 
the  boarder  which  gave  them  a  new  interest  in  each 
other.  Perhaps  Chester  was  the  one  of  the  pair 
who  chiefly  benefited  by  their  good  comradeship, 
for,  while  the  girl  had  only  the  effervescence  of  a 
new  and  pleasant  excitement  to  express,  a  deep  and 
abiding  passion  had  taken  possession  of  her  friend  ; 
and  to  him  it  was  a  blessing  indeed  to  be  able  to 
speak  his  lady's  name  to  sympathetic  ears,  and  to 
hear  it  spoken  by  admiring  lips.  Not  that  his  curt 
and  unsmiling  manner  greatly  changed.  Phyllis 
little  suspected  how  great  a  fire  her  lightly  spoken 
words  sometimes  kindled.  But  she  felt  his  interest 
in  a  subject  of  which  lioxana  was  always  shy,  and 
so,  when  she  was  with  him,  the  conversation  was 
sure  to  turn  upon  Beech  Knoll ;  and  the  one  of  the 
two  who  had  acquired  the  latest  bit  of  news  con- 
cerning the  family  related  it  for  the  other's  bene- 
fit. Although  to  a  third  person  it  might  have 
seemed  an  excessively  trivial  fact  to  mention  that 
Phyllis  had  seen  the  flutter  of  Mrs.  Redmond's 
riding  habit  as  she  turned  a  corner  in  the  distance, 
or  that  Mr.  Chester  had  observed  that  the  hedge 
of  lilacs  was  in  full  bloom  at  the  rear  of  the  Beech 


180     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Knoll  grounds,  there  was  no  lack  of  interest  felt 
by  this  infatuated  couple,  either  in  giving  or  re- 
ceiving such  items. 

Roxana  observed  their  growing  friendliness  with 
complacency.  "  Phyllis  won't  get  any  harm  from 
Aim,"  she  thought ;  "  and  it 's  a  nice  amusement 
for  'em  both  to  sort  o'  change  around  furniture  in 
the  parlor  and  hang  up  pieces  of  old  silk  here  and 
there.  Foolish,  o'  course,  but  harmless  enough. 
Some  day  they  '11  get  sick  o'  such  doins',  and  then 
I  can  cart  the  things  off  up  attic  again.  I  do  think 
bringid'  down  that  spinnin'-wheel  beats  all ;  but, 
thank  fortune,  I  can  keep  my  face  straight  and 
hold  my  tongue  too,  at  the  right  time.  It 's  worth 
a  good  deal  to  see  Phyllis  as  bright  as  a  new  dol- 
lar, and  old  sober-sides,  too,  is  comin'  out  of  his 
shell  more  'n  I  ever  thought  he  would." 

Roxana's  leniency  was  heightened,  moreover,  by 
the  important  business  she  had  011  hand  at  the  par- 
sonage. Miss  Redmond  had  gone  straight  from 
the  minister's  wife  to  Mrs.  Sherritt,  to  recount  her 
negative  success,  and  on  the  day  following,  Rox- 
ana, early  in  the  morning,  before  the  hour  for  Mrs. 
Terriss  to  rise,  presented  herself  at  the  invalid's 
chamber  door  with  her  usual  cheery  familiarity. 

" Have  you  come  to  rub  me?  "  inquired  the  sick 
woman  from  her  pillow. 

Roxana  disregarded  the  clouded  face  and  peev- 
ish tone. 

"  Yes,  I  have,"  she  replied  heartily.  "  I  gues8 
some  good  angel  goes  around  with  Miss  Rebecca 


COUNTER-IRRITANTS.  181 

and  points  out  things  to  her.  Who  else  would 
ever  have  found  out  what  to  do  for  you  ?  " 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  believe  she  is  right, 
Mrs.  Sherritt?  Don't  tell  me  that  a  woman  of 
your  sense  believes  that  there  is  a  mixture  which 
will  make  paralyzed  limbs  walk,  and  that  the  doc- 
tors have  not  discovered  it !  " 

"  I  mean  to  say,"  said  Roxana  impressively, 
"  that  I  believe  that  in  this  bottle  is  an  ointment 
that,  if  you  '11  only  have  faith,  will  make  you  walk 
in  a  week's  time." 

"  What  is  the  stuff  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Terriss  un- 
graciously, regarding  the  white,  opaque  substance 
which  her  visitor  held  forth  to  view. 

"  The  bottle  ain't  marked,"  returned  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt shortly.  "  All  we  've  got  to  do  is  to  obey  or- 
ders." 

"  Well,"  sighed  the  other  resignedly,  "  I  sup- 
pose I  must  consent,  or  else  appear  ungrateful; 
but  remember,  I  tell  you  in  advance  that  the  effort 
is  worse  than  a  waste  of  time." 

Roxana  groaned  in  spirit,  but  set  to  work  at  her 
task  with  an  appearance  of  unshaken  confidence. 

"  I  have  met  my  cousin  Terriss,  at  last,"  re- 
marked the  invalid,  after  a  moment  of  silence. 

"Who?" 

"  My  cousin.     Your  boarder." 

"Oh!" 

"Yes.  How  strange  that  no  one  has  told  me 
how  handsome,  how  distinguished,  he  is ;  but  then, 
I  suppose  I  ought  not  to  expect  that  people  will 


182  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

trouble  themselves  to  make  poor  me  acquainted 
with  every  interesting  fact."  The  speaker  sighed. 

"  I  don't  suppose  any  man  looks  very  distin- 
guished in  bed,"  replied  Roxana  shortly,  "  and 
that 's  where  I  saw  him  mostly  for  a  good  while ; 
and  after  he  got  out,  I  was  too  much  relieved  to 
care  whether  his  nose  was  snub  or  long." 

"  Oh,  his  nose  is  well  enough  ;  but  those  eyes, 
those  great,  grand,  gloomy  eyes,  and  his  straight, 
proud  look  as  he  steps  !  " 

"  I  want  to  know  !  "  remarked  Roxana,  her  lips 
twitching. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  have  n't  observed 
it?" 

"  No,  ma'am  ;  but  I  'm  real  glad  you  think  he 
looks  pickin'  up.  He  was  dreadful  lantern-jawed 
one  spell,  but  he  eats  everythin'  now,  and  I  'm  get- 
tin'  a  good  deal  used  to  him.  He  draws  and 
paints  real  nice,"  continued  Roxana,  with  the  air 
of  saying  what  she  could  in  favor  of  one  for  whom 
she  was  conscious  of  feeling  no  partiality.  "  He 
made  a  drawin'  o'  Phyllis  the  other  day.  She 
had  some  kind  of  a  scarf  around  her  head,  but 
the  instant  I  set  eyes  on  it,  '  Phyllis  !  '  says  I.  I 
knew  it  right  off." 

"  An  artist !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Terriss  eagerly. 
"  He  ought  to  be  one.  He  looks  it.  I  am  going 
to  let  him  make  a  study  of  me.  He  could  do  it  as 
well  as  not,  for  there  I  must  sit,  hour  after  hour, 
anyway.  Would  n't  it  make  a  touching  little  pic- 
ture !  He  could  call  it  '  Patience.'  " 


COUNTER-IRRITANTS.  183 

"  He  '11  have  to  do  it  this  week,  then,  Mrs.  Ter- 
riss,  for  you  and  that  chair  won't  be  such  close 
friends  after  that,"  said  Roxana  firmly.  "Just 
think  how  you  '11  enjoy  steppin'  around  your  house 
and  seein'  to  things  yourself  ;  and  by  and  by  you  '11 
be  comin'  over  to  see  me." 

Mrs.  Terriss  did  not  appear  to  regard  her 
words.  "  Where  is  Phyllis,  and  what  is  she  doing 
of  late  ?  "  she  asked,  interrupting. 

"  Oh,  she  is  at  home.  She  's  taken  a  notion  to 
fix  up  the  house  lately  ;  and  Mr.  Chester,  with  lots 
o'  time  on  his  hands,  is  willin'  to  help  her.  There 
ain't  a  piece  o'  furniture  settin'  where  it  ought  to 
be  in  the  parlor  this  minute ;  but  law !  I  can  stand 
that  for  a  few  weeks." 

"  And  is  the  changing  of  the  furniture  all  the 
harm  that  you  expect  to  result  from  their  spending 
so  much  time  together?"  asked  Mrs.  Terriss. 

"  Oh,  yes." 

"  Then  you  are  as  much  mistaken  in  that  as  in 
this  farce  of  rubbing  that  we  are  going  through. 
Don't  you  know  that  Phyllis,  little  inexperienced 
girl,  will  fall  in  love  with  that  man,  the  first  eligi- 
ble man  she  has  ever  known  ?  " 

Mrs.  Sherritt  gave  a  great  start  and  her  sallow 
'cheeks  reddened.  "  No,  I  don't,  Mrs.  Terriss,  I 
don't,  not  for  one  minute  !  "  she  returned,  rubbing 
so  vigorously  that  the  invalid  cringed. 

"Oh,  oh!  be  careful!  you  hurt  me!"  she  ex- 
claimed. "  Well,  you  will  find  out  that  I  am 
right,  perhaps,  when  it  is  too  late.  Cousin  Terriss 


184     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

is  just  the  Byronic-looking  hero  to  attract  a  girl. 
Mark  my  words  !  " 

"  Oh,  pshaw !  "  said  Roxana.  "  Phyllis  ain't 
goin'  to  be  '  attracted,'  as  you  call  it,  till  she 's 
asked ; "  but  though  she  turned  the  matter  off 
lightly,  Mrs.  Terriss'  words  had  alarmed  her. 
She  even  considered  speaking  to  Phyllis  on  the 
subject,  but  something  restrained  her.  If  there 
were  romantic  possibilities  in  Roxana's  nature,  cir- 
cumstances had  not  developed  them.  She  had 
married  a  man  who  was  sordid  and  mean  and  dis- 
sipated, who  made  her  wretched  until  death  re- 
lieved her  of  him  ;  so  it  was  no  defined  delicacy 
which  determined  her  not  to  repeat  Mrs.  Terriss' 
words  to  Phyllis.  She  said  to  herself  that  she  did 
not  wish  to  put  such  thoughts  into  the  girl's  head. 
She  would  wait,  and,  meanwhile,  would  not  fail 
to  watch. 

Her  watching  discovered  only  a  very  amicable 
state  of  things  between  Chester  and  Phyllis,  and 
for  once  poor  Roxana  wished  herself  versed  in  lov- 
ers' ways,  that  she  might  tell  whether  the  board- 
er's interest  in  her  child's  companionship  were  the 
sort  likely  to  interfere  with  Phyllis's  fancy-free 
condition. 

But  an  immediate  source  of  anxiety  to  Mrs. 
Sherritt  was  Mrs.  Terriss'  attitude  toward  her 
own  possible  recovery.  As  the  days  went  by,  she 
found  it  continued  to  be  impossible  to  infuse  hope 
or  enthusiasm  into  the  deluded  woman.  At  last 
there  was  but  one  day  left  of  the  prescribed  seven. 


COUNTER-IRRITANTS.  185 

Mrs.  Terriss  still  smiled  indulgently  on  her  friends' 
folly.  "With  her,  the  result  of  the  experiment  was 
evidently  a  foregone  conclusion. 

So  Roxana  put  on  her  best  bonnet  and  set  forth 
for  Beech  Knoll.  She  felt  that  she  must  see  Miss 
Rebecca.  Phyllis  offered  to  accompany  her,  but 
the  housekeeper  declined.  "  You  stay  at  home," 
she  advised,  "  and  work  on  your  new  frock.  You 
was  set  on  havin'  it ;  now  stick  to  it  till  it 's  fin- 
ished. I  want  to  talk  to  Miss  Rebecca  about  a 
good  many  things  that  would  n't  interest  you.  Mrs. 
Terriss  is  one  of  'em." 

"Oh,"  replied  Phyllis ;  "I  suppose  that  means 
you  think  I  ought  to  go  to  see  Mrs.  Terriss  oftener. 
What 's  the  reason,"  asked  the  girl,  tying  Roxana's 
bonnet-strings,  "  that  men  do  not  like  Mrs.  Terriss, 
when  women  do  so  much  ?  " 

"  It 's  likely  I  can  answer  that  question,  ain't 
it  ?  "  remarked  Mrs.  Sherritt  irritably.  "  How  do 
you  know  men  don't  like  her?  What  business 
have  they  got  to  like  her  ?  Mr.  Terriss  does, 
that 's  enough." 

"  Like  her  !  I  should  think  he  did  !  She  says 
he  worships  the  ground  she  walks  on." 

"  I  hope  he  likes  her  better  than  that,"  retorted 
Mrs.  Sherritt.  "  That  would  be  mighty  little." 

"  Well,  Mr.  Chester  really  dislikes  her,  dislikes 
her.  Is  n't  it  odd  ?  Uncle  Doctor  did  n't  like  her, 
and  did  n't  trust  her." 

"  Phyllis  Flower,  you  're  gossipin'  !  Ain't  you 
ashamed  o'  yourself  ?  " 


186  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

The  girl  laughed  lightly.  "  I  do  not  count  what 
I  say  to  you,  gossiping.  " 

"  Why  do  you  say  your  uncle  did  n't  trust  her?" 

"  Oh,  I  must  n't  gossip." 

"  Tell  me  this  minute  !  I  'm  in  a  hurry,  and  I 
want  to  know." 

"  He  did  not  believe  she  was  really  ill.  I  do 
not  know  exactly  what  he  thought ;  but  he  used  to 
say  things  that  gave  me  that  impression." 

Roxana  groaned.  "  Oh,  dear,  dear,  dear,  what 
a  world  !  "  she  exclaimed,  shaking  her  head. 

"  Yes ;  I  never  could  understand  it  in  dear 
Uncle  Doctor,  the  kindest  of  men,"  said  the  girl. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  walked  up  the  street,  swinging 
one  arm.  "  The  kindest  o'  men.  So  he  was,"  she 
mused.  "  He  saw  through  her,  and  he  must  have 
thought  it  was  n't  any  use  to  try  to  change  things, 
so  he  never  said  anything.  Well,  I  wonder  if 
Miss  Rebecca  and  me  have  got  to  give  it  up." 

She  walked  on  briskly  until  she  came  to  the 
low  iron  fence  which  surrounded  Beech  Knoll,  and 
upon  entering  the  gate,  beheld  a  sight  which  would 
have  been  thrilling  to  the  others  of  her  family,  but 
which  she  sustained  calmly.  It  was  Mrs.  Redmond 
stooping  over  a  bed  of  flowers,  from  which  she  was 
gathering  some  bright  geraniums. 

She  rose  at  sight  of  Mrs.  Sherritt  and  said  good- 
morning. 

"  Don't  let  me  disturb  you,"  said  Roxana.  "  I 
want  to  see  Miss  Rebecca,  and  I  '11  just  go  on  to 
the  house." 


COUNTER-IRRITANTS  187 

"  Are  all  well  at  home  ?  "  asked  Elise,  for  she 
saw  the  cloud  on  Mrs.  Sherritt's  face. 

"  They  are  very  well,  thank  you.  Mr.  Chester 's 
gettin'  to  be  almost  like  other  folks." 

"  I  am  glad  of  that.  He  was  so  over-fatigued 
the  day  we  kept  him  here  to  lunch,  I  feared  he 
might  have  hurt  himself." 

"  No ;  he  's  picked  up  right  along  ever  since  ;  but 
I  guess  it  taught  him  a  lesson  to  be  a  little  more 
careful.  Well,  good-mornin',  Mrs.  Redmond." 

"  Oh,  I  will  come  with  you  to  find  my  sister," 
said  Elise,  walking  along  by  her  side.  ".What 
weather  to  be  out-of-doors  !  " 

"  You  're  out  a  good  deal,  I  guess." 

"  Yes,  as  nearly  all  the  time  as  I  can  manage." 

"  I  don't  see  how  your  complexion  stands  it  so," 
remarked  Mrs.  Sherritt  bluntly. 

"  It  is  fortunate,"  returned  Elise,  with  an  amused 
smile,  "  for  although  I  have  the  average  share  of 
vanity,  I  could  not  sacrifice  so  much  to  looks  as  to 
remain  indoors,  or  to  looK  at  Mother  Nature  through 
a  veil." 

'*  Shows  her  sense  there,"  thought  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt. 

"  Ah,  Mrs.  Sherritt,  I  am  glad  I  have  remem- 
bered something  in  time  that  I  wished  to  speak 
about.  I  want  Phyllis  to  come  and  play  tennis 
with  me.  She  would  like  to,  but  says  she  has  no 
dress  for  it.  I  want  to  ask  you  if  I  may  venture 
to  offer  her  one  of  mine." 

Roxana  looked  around  at  the  questioning  face 


188  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

and  let  her  eyes  fall,  uncertain  how  to  respond. 
It  was  not  easy  to  resist  Mrs.  Redmond  in  a  gra- 
cious mood.  "  I  guess  we  can  fix  her~up  one,  if 
you  '11  tell  me  what  she  needs,"  she  answered. 

"  But  that  would  take  a  longer  time.  This  suit 
I  speak  of  I  had  to  discard  because  it  was  too  tight 
for  me.  It  would  be  too  large  for  Phyllis,  prob- 
ably, but  could  be  quickly  changed.  As  it  is  use- 
less to  me,  and  it  would  oblige  me  to  have  her  able 
soon  to  play,  I  thought  she  might  consent  to  take 
it.  The  principal  thing  in  favor  of  the  costume  is 
that  it  is  not  too  gay  for  her  to  wear  now." 

Mrs.  Redmond  finished  by  a  questioning  look, 
which  elicited  a  grim  smile  from  Mrs.  Sherritt. 

"  I  s'pose  Phyllis  would  like  it  a  sight  better  be- 
cause you  'd  worn  it.  She  'd  rather  have  it  than  a 
new  one,  I  s'pose,"  she  remarked. 

"  Then  I  will  leave  it  at  your  door  in  a  day  or 
two." 

"  I  'd  just  as  soon  take  it  along,"  said  Roxana. 
"  I  don't  mind  bundles." 

"  That  would  be  very  kind  of  you  ;  and  tell 
Phyllis  to  come  and  have  a  game  the  first  day  that 
is  convenient.  Ah,  there  is  Rebecca ;  she  sees  us 
and  is  coming  to  let  us  in." 

Miss  Redmond  opened  the  door,  and  shook  hands 
with  the  newcomer,  looking  at  her  eagerly  as  she 
led  her  into  the  sitting-room. 

"  Any  good  news  of  Mrs.  Terriss,  Roxana  ?  " 

The  latter  turned  involuntarily  toward  Mrs. 
Redmond,  and  hesitated. 


COUNTER-IRRITANTS.  189 

"  I  have  confided  our  plan  to  Mrs.  Redmond. 
Do  not  fear  to  speak  before  her.  I  know  by  your 
face  you  have  not  good  news." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  sat  down  in  the  straightest  chair 
the  room  afforded,  while  the  others  took  seats 
near. 

"  No,  Miss  Rebecca,"  she  said,  crossing  her 
hands  in  their  Lisle-thread  gloves.  "  Mrs.  Terriss 
don't  give  me  one  bit  of  encouragement.  She  just 
acts  scornful  every  time  I  speak  of  to-morrow,  — 
that 's  the  seventh  day,  you  know,  —  and  it 's  my 
opinion  she  won't  try  to  step  foot  to  the  ground." 

"  Dear,  dear,"  said  Miss  Rebecca. 

"  Knowin'  what  I  know,  I  feel  like  sayin'  a 
good  deal  more  'n '  dear,  dear,'  "  remarked  Roxana 
desperately. 

Mrs.  Redmond  laughed  low  and  lazily.  "  What 
do  you  propose  doing  next  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Ask  the  cap'n  there,"  returned  Roxana,  with 
a  nod  toward  Rebecca. 

The  latter  colored.  "  I  do  not  know  what  to 
do,"  she  admitted,  much  troubled. 

"  Do  you  want  advice  ?  I  am  always  ready  with 
advice,  you  know,"  said  Elise. 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  replied  Miss  Redmond,  "  if  Mrs. 
Terriss  refuses  to  make  an  effort.  She  has  not 
refused  yet,  remember." 

"  But  Mrs.  Sherritt  feels  sure  she  will.  First, 
Mrs.  Sherritt,  you  tell  me  your  opinion  of  what  to 
do  next." 

"  Well,"  said  Roxana,  "  if  Mrs.  Terriss  won't 


190  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

try,  and  I  'm  sure  she  won't,  she  does  act  for  all 
the  world  as  if  it  wa'n't  of  any  consequence  to 
her  whether  she  ever  walked  again  or  not,  I  'm 
afraid  I  shall  bu'st  out  and  tell  her  what  I  think 
of  her." 

Mrs.  Redmond  shook  her  head.  "  That  is 
hardly  the  best  way.  It  would  relieve  you ;  but 
she  would  never  see  you  again  if  she  could  avoid 
it,  and  you  would  lose  your  chance  of  helping 
her." 

"  Well,  it  does  seem  wicked,"  said  Roxana  vig- 
orously, "  to  leave  her  alone." 

"  I  think  so,"  returned  Elise  calmly.  "  If  she 
will  not  be  coaxed  out  of  her  delusion,  she  should 
be  shocked  out  of  it." 

"  I  'm  willin'  to  shock  her  out  of  it,"  said  Mrs. 
Sherritt  promptly.  . 

"  And  the  way  to  do  it,"  continued  Elise,  "  is 
for  Miss  Redmond  to  tell  Mr.  Terriss  that  she 
has  seen  his  wife  walk.  A  woman  that  can  walk, 
and  won't  walk,  should  be  made  to  walk.  Poor 
creature !  " 

"  Poor  creature,  indeed  !  "  exclaimed  Rebecca, 
her  cheeks  very  red.  "  I  will  not  consent  that  her 
greatest,  her  only  comfort,  her  husband's  confi- 
dence, should  be  taken  from  her.  No,  no,  a  thou- 
sand times  no,  to  your  plan,  Elise." 

Miss  Redmond  was  greatly  agitated. 

"  My  dear  Rebecca,  that  would  be  but  a  tem- 
porary result,"  said  Elise.  "  I  for  one  like  Mr. 
Terriss  better  than  his  wife." 


COUNTER-IRRITANTS.  191 

"  That 's  what  I  say,  Miss  Rebecca,"  added 
Roxana  ;  "  think  o'  the  minister's  side  of  it." 

Poor  Miss  Redmond.  There  was  little  fear  that 
she  would  not  think  of  the  minister's  side  of  it. 
It  was  her  trembling  earnestness  of  desire  not  to 
do  injustice  to  his  wife  that  clouded  her  thoughts 
now. 

"  When  in  doubt,  do  nothing,"  she  responded. 

"  I\e,  always  heard  it,  when  in  doubt,  play 
trumps,"  said  Roxana  emphatically.  "  To  tell  Mr. 
Terriss  what  you  saw  that  day  would  be  playin'  a 
trump  card,  and  no  mistake." 

"  And  one  which  would  probably  win  the  game," 
added  Mrs.  Redmond. 

"  No,  no,  indeed,"  said  Rebecca  earnestly.  "  You 
do  not  know  what  you  are  saying.  That  would  be 
a  wicked  interference  between  husband  and  wife. 
Nothing  could  excuse  it." 

She  looked  anxiously  from  her  sister  to  Mrs. 
Sherritt,  and  apparently  saw  something  in  their 
faces  which  startled  her,  for  she  continued,  with 
redoubled  earnestness,  "  If  you  are  thinking  of 
opposing  me  and  telling  Mr.  Terriss  in  spite  of  me, 
you  are  planning  an  unpardonable  thing  —  unpar- 
donable ; "  and  to  the  consternation  of  Miss  Re- 
becca's companions,  she  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands  and  burst  into  tears. 

Her  excitement,  so  unlike  herself,  and  so  dispro- 
portionate to  the  case,  might  have  suggested  the 
truth  to  any  one  more  imaginative  than  Roxana ; 
but  the  latter  was  incapable  of  such  a  wild  flight 


192     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

of  fancy  as  would  be  necessary  to  connect  the  min- 
ister with  the  hero  of  Miss  Redmond's  long-ago 
love  affair,  and  Elise  had  never  heard  of  the  exist- 
ence of  such  a  romance.  Mrs.  Redmond  rose  and 
threw  her  arms  around  Rebecca. 

"  You  dear  little  thing,"  she  said  caressingly, 
"  rather  than  that  you  should  shed  a  tear  about 
the  matter,  I  promise  not  to  lift  a  finger  to  relieve 
the  minister,  and  I  am  sure  Mrs.  Sherritt  will  do 
the  same." 

"  I  won't  deny,"  said  Roxana,  "  that  I  was  cal- 
c'latin'  to  tell  him  ;  but  of  course  I  should  n't  think 
o'  disobeyin'  you  downright,  Miss  Rebecca." 

"  Promise  me,  then,"  sobbed  Rebecca. 

"  I  promise.  There,  I  do  promise,"  replied  Mrs. 
Sherritt,  reluctant,  even  in  the  midst  of  her  dismay 
at  this  emotion,  thus  to  seal  her  own  lips.  "  I  '11 
let  you  know  what  happens  to-morrow,  Miss  Re- 
becca," she  went  on.  "  Don't  you  fret  over  this 
one  bit.  We  've  done  the  best  we  knew  how,  any- 
way." 

"  I  thank  you,  Roxana,"  replied  Miss  Redmond, 
slowly  recovering  herself.  "  You  have  had  all  the 
hard  work,  and  I  assure  you  I  appreciate  your 
kindness  very  much  indeed." 

"  There  ain't  any  danger  of  your  not  appre- 
ciatin'  folks,"  said  Roxana,  rising. 

She  had  a  moment  alone  with  Mrs.  Redmond 
when  the  latter  gave  her  the  tennis  suit  wrapped 
in  a  bundle. 

"  Too  bad,"  said  Elise,  with  a  smile  and  a  shrug. 


COUNTER-IRRITANTS.  193 

"  'T  ain't  in  human  nature  to  stand  it,"  returned 
JRoxana,  in  a  low  tone.  "  I  ain't  ever  goiii'  to  have 
any  more  comfort  with  that  woman  a  dead  weight 
on  the  minister's  hands." 

"  What  shall  you  do  ?  " 

Roxana  shook  her  head.  "  Can't  tell  you  ;  but  I 
guess  I  'm  Yankee  enough  to  think  up  somethin'. 
Too  much  of  a  Yankee  to  give  up,  I  'm  afraid." 

"  Miss  Redmond  has  tied  your  hands,  I  fear." 

"  Bless  her  good  heart !  She  thinks  she  has." 
Roxana  cast  a  shrewd  look  at  Elise.  "  I  put  my 
trust  in  Yankee  invention  yet,  Mrs.  Redmond.  I  '11 
bid  you  good-inornin'." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A   VENOMOUS    STING. 

ROXANA  found  herself  an  object  of  much  inter- 
est when  she  came  home  that  day.  She  would  not 
talk  until  dinner  was  on  the  table,  and  Phyllis  and 
the  boarder  were  served  ;  then  Phyllis  was  full  of 
questions,  and  Chester  all  attention.  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt  was  too  preoccupied  with  the  main  subject  of 
her  thoughts  to  do  more  than  answer  shortly,  and 
Phyllis's  astonishment  at  the  housekeeper's  compli- 
ance in  accepting  the  tennis  costume  was  almost 
speechless. 

"  I  think  you  must  have  been  enchanted  too," 
she  said  at  last. 

"  I  guess  maybe  I  was,"  admitted  Mrs.  Sherritt. 
"  She  put  it,  Mrs.  Redmond  did,  in  that  kind  of  a 
way,  that  it  looked  sensible  to  take  it  and  would 
have  made  me  look  simple  to  refuse  it." 

"  Of  course  she  did,"  laughed  Phyllis,  exchang- 
ing a  glance  of  appreciation  with  the  boarder. 
"  Oh,  I  cannot  wait  to  see  it.  Is  it  in  that  bun- 
dle?" 

Roxana  pressed  a  firm  hand  on  the  girl's  shoul- 
der, precisely  as  she  would  have  done  ten  years 
before.  "  Sit  still  and  eat  your  dinner,"  she  said 
shortly.  "  Plenty  of  time  afterward  for  the  bun- 
dle." 


A    VENOMOUS  STING.  195 

Thus  admonished,  Phyllis  took  up  her  knife  and 
fork  and  chattered  on.  How  Chester  blessed  her 
volubility. 

"  What  was  Mrs.  Redmond  doing  when  you  got 
there  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Pickin'  flowers.  I  don't  see  how  on  earth  her 
complexion  stays  so  fair.  She  had  some  kind  of  a 
cap  on  her  head  that  wa'n't  a  mite  o'  protection." 

"Oh,  she  is  a  perfect  beauty,  and  she  always 
will  be,  and  she  can't  help  it,"  observed  Phyllis  ; 
for  which  bit  of  gush  the  boarder  lifted  his  eyes 
and  sent  her  a  glance  which  might  have  impressed 
even  Roxana  with  its  inflammable  tendency,  had 
she  observed  it. 

It  was  lost  on  Phyllis  also.  She  was  glancing 
wistfully  at  the  bundle  on  her  own  account. 

"  What  else  did  she  say  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  She  wants  you  to  come  some  day  soon  and  play 
tennis  with  her." 

"  Aha,  Mr.  Chester,  don't  you  envy  me  ?  "  cried 
the  girl  triumphantly. 

"  Never  mind,  Mr.  Chester,"  said  Roxana  smil- 
ing. "  She  asked  how  you  was,  if  she  didnt  send 
you  any  tennis  suit;  and,  anyway,  pretty  soon 
it  '11  be  you  instead  o'  Phyllis  that  '11  be  goin'  up 
to  Beech  Knoll." 

"Why  is  that?" 

"  Because  she 's  invited  that  young  feller  out 
here  to  stay  a  week,  she  said." 

"  What  young  fellow  ?  "  was  demanded  in  uni- 
son, eagerly  by  one  voice,  sternly  by  the  other. 


196  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  It 's  the  strangest  thing  I  can't  think  of  his 
name.  Phyllis,  he  came  here  once  and  gave  me  a 
pink." 

"  Mr.  BeUows  ?  "  said  Phyllis. 

"Bellow  is  the  name,"  returned  Roxana,  re- 
lieved. 

Phyllis  smiled  meditatively  at  her  plate.  Ter- 
riss  stared  out  of  the  window  with  a  gaze  which 
should  have  dyed  the  grass  and  foliage  a  more 
vivid  green. 

What,  he  wondered,  was  there  in  Tony  to  pro- 
cure him  such  a  superlative  honor  ? 

He  could  not  restrain  a  "  Humph  !  "  of  disgust, 
which  caused  Phyllis's  face  to  rise  questioningly. 

"What  is  it?" 

"  I  was  thinking  what  a  butterfly  existence 
Tony's  is." 

"  I  s'pose  it 's  fittin'  enough,"  observed  Roxana, 
"  that  one  butterfly  should  amuse  another." 

"  If  you  mean  by  that  that  Mrs.  Redmond  is  a 
butterfly,"  returned  Phyllis,  "  you  are  very  much 
mistaken.  Miss  Rebecca  has  told  me  about  some 
of  the  lovely  things  she  has  done  ih  the  way  of 
charity.  Not  lazy  charity  either.  Miss  Redmond 
says  she  is  too  active  and  energetic  to  be  willing 
not  to  know  how  her  money  goes.  She  does  lots 
of  good  in  the  world,  and  does  it  very  quietly." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  said  Roxana,  nodding. 
"  I  liked  what  I  saw  of  her  to-day  first-rate." 

"  I  have  finished,"  said  Phyllis,  pushing  her 
chair  back  from  the  table.  "  Now  for  the  precious 
package." 


A    VENO MO  US  STING.  197 

Mrs.  Sherritt  said  nothing  as  the  girl  took  the 
bundle  in  her  lap  and  untied  the  string.  Pres- 
ently she  held  up  to  view  a  costume  of  soft  woolen 
material,  striped  with  gray  and  white,  and  as  she 
beheld  it,  uttered  a  cry  of  delight.  "  O  Mr.  Ches- 
ter !  —  and  there  's  a  cap  to  match !  Is  n't  it 
lovely?" 

The  boarder  came  around  the  table  and  in- 
spected the  limp  mass  with  puzzled  eyes.  It  must 
be  lovely,  of  course.  She  had  worn  it.  "  What  is 
this  scarf  for  ?  "  he  asked,  touching  the  soft  stuff 
with  a  reverent  hand. 

"  That  is  the  sash,  I  am  sure,"  cried  Phyllis  joy- 
fully. "  Oh,  I  am  so  happy !  " 

"  Go  and  put  it  on,"  he  suggested,  catching  her 
excitement. 

"  Yes,  go  on,"  said  Roxana.  She  wished  to  be 
rid  of  the  girl,  in  order  to  have  an  opportunity  for 
speaking  to  Mr.  Chester  undisturbed.  She  felt  the 
disappointment  keenly  of  being  debarred  from  ad- 
vising with  Mr.  Terriss,  and,  as  an  alternative,  it 
occurred  to  her  that,  two  heads  being  better  than 
one,  her  boarder  might  be  of  some  use. 

"  Look  here,  Mr.  Chester,  I  'm  in  trouble,"  she 
said,  as  soon  as  the  door  had  closed  upon  Phyllis. 
"  I  've  got  mixed  up  in  other  folks's  business  kind 
o'  unexpectedly,  and  I  want  to  get  some  help,  if 
you  've  got  any  to  give.  You  bein'  a  relative  o' 
the  minister's,  and  she  bein'  taken  with  you,  I 
thought  I  'd  tell  you,  because  I  don't  want  Phyllis 
to  know  a  thing  about  it,  and  Miss  Rebecca  won't 


198  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

let  Mrs.  Redmond  and  I  do  what  we  think  best ; 
so  it 's  just  there" 

Mrs.  Sherritt  was  usually  so  sensible  and  direct 
that  Chester  thought  it  must  be  the  fault  of  his 
own  perception  that  this  address  gave  him  no  idea.. 
Until  he  caught  Mrs.  Redmond's  name,  his  face  had 
been  inattentive ;  but  now,  Roxana  could  not  com- 
plain of  any  lack  of  interest  in  his  countenance. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  said,  regarding  her  troubled 
face  as  she  leaned  on  a  chair -back  opposite,  "  I 
did  not  quite  understand." 

Then  Roxana  told  him  in  consecutive  fashion 
Miss  Rebecca's  discovery,  and  what  had  been  done 
in  the  matter  up  to  the  present  day. 

The  boarder  gave  an  exclamation  of  impatience. 
"  Any  one  could  perceive  on  first  meeting  her  that 
the  woman  is  a  hypocrite !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Miss  Rebecca  says  she  ain't.  She  says  Mrs. 
Terriss  thinks  she  's  just  as  feeble  as  she  appears 
to  be.  Kind  o'  self-deceived,  as  it  were.  Now  the 
question  is,  seem'  Miss  Rebecca's  little  scheme  has 
failed,  what  next  ?  She 's  for  lettin'  it  go  ;  but  I 
can't  rest  to  do  that,  on  the  minister's  account, 
and  no  more  can  Mrs.  Redmond." 

"  Of  course  you  cannot.  To-morrow,  when  you 
go  to  make  the  trial  of  her  ability,  you  might  tell 
her,  if  you  think  it  would  do  any  good,  that  I  am 
ready  to  make  a  portrait  of  her  as  soon  as  she  can 
come  to  me  here.  You  might  tell  her,"  added 
Chester  with  a  grimace,  "that  I  wish  to  do  it." 

"Well,  that  might  work,"   said  Roxana  hope- 


A    VENOMOUS  STING.  199 

fully.     "  She   certainly  took  an  amazin'  likiu'  to 

you." 

"  That  is  surprising,  for  I  was  so  repelled  by  her 
that  I  feared  I  showed  it  very  plainly." 

"  She  liked  the  way  you  stepped  off,"  explained 
Roxana. 

"  "Well,  we  were  of  one  mind  there.  That  was 
the  part  of  the  call  which  I  liked  best,  too." 

"  You  please  keep  thinkin',"  said  Roxana ;  "  but 
don't  say  a  word  to  Mr.  Terriss,  or  Miss  Redmond 
would  never  forgive  us." 

"  Mrs.  Redmond  interests  herself  in  it,  does 
she  ?  "  asked  the  infatuated  boarder,  lingering. 

"  Yes,  indeed  she  does.  You  know  everybody 
that  knows  Mr.  Terriss  thinks  a  sight  of  him." 

"  Yes.  I  think  we  will  have  to  accomplish  this, 
Mrs.  Sherritt.  Mrs.  Terriss'  fate  is  sealed.  She 
will  have  to  walk." 

Whether  the  object  was  to  be  attained  on  the 
next  day  remained  to  be  proved.  Miss  Redmond 
called  early  for  Roxana,  and  together  they  sought 
the  parsonage,  where  all  the  tender  encouragement 
and  hearty  assurances  they  could  lavish  on  the 
invalid  were  brought  to  bear.  Roxana  added  the 
bait  of  the  artist's  invitation,  to  which  Mrs.  Terriss 
responded  with  the  first  smile  she  had  worn  during 
the  interview. 

"  I  am  willing  he  should  have  my  poor  face,  if 
he  wants  it,"  she  replied,  "but  he  will  have  to 
come  here  for  it." 

"  He  can't  move  his  things,  he  says,"  returned 


200  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Mrs.  Sherritt.  "  Just  try,  only  try,  Mrs.  Terriss. 
Just  lean  on  me  and  take  one  step,  only  one.  I  '11 
catch  you  if  you  fall,  you  know  1  will ;  or  shall  I 
call  Mr.  Terriss  ?  I  hear  him  up  in  his  study." 

"  Yes,  call  him  ;  call  Mr.  Terriss,"  responded 
the  invalid  quickly. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  feel  safer,"  said  Roxana 
soothingly.  "  I  did  hope  we  could  surprise  him, 
but  if  you  want  him  now,  you  shall  have  him. 
Miss  Rebecca,  will  you  just  step  up  to  the  study, 
while  I  tidy  things  a  little  more  here  ?  " 

Miss  Redmond  started  immediately.  She  was 
so  much  absorbed  in  her  self- forgetful  work  of 
love,  that  she  entirely  forgot  that  it  was  her  first 
visit  to  the  minister's  study.  She  knocked,  and 
he  opened  the  door  upon  the  familiar  face,  grown 
so  youthful  again  in  its  interest  and  brightness 
that  he  gazed  into  it  speechless. 

"Mr.  Terriss,"  she  said,  catching  her  breath  a 
little,  "  can  you  come  downstairs  a  minute  ?  The 
time  has  come  for  your  wife  to  make  the  effort  to 
walk,  and  she  does  not  wish  to  try  without  you. 
You  know  of  our  experiment  ?  " 

"  I  do,  Miss  Rebecca,"  he  answered,  in  a  tone  as 
unsteady  as  her  own,  "and  have  been  entirely 
mystified  by  it.  The  very  fact  that  the  scheme 
originated  with  you  gives  me  a  respect  for  it ;  yet 
it  surprises  me  beyond  telling  that  you  put  any 
faith  in  the  result." 

"  O  Philip,  don't  say  so !  "  exclaimed  Rebecca 
almost  tearfully.  "  I  do  put  all  faith  in  it,  and  I 


A    VENOMOUS   STING.  201 

beg  you  to  do  so.  If  she  sees  that  you  do  not  hope, 
it  will  all  fail.  I  tell  you  I  believe,  I  know,  she 
can  walk  this  morning  if  she  will  try." 

Carried  along  by  her  excitement,  the  minister 
followed  her  down  the  stairs. 

"  You  will  help  ?  "  she  said,  turning  to  him  be- 
seechingly, just  before  opening  the  door  of  Mrs. 
Terriss'  sitting-room. 

He  nodded  and  they  went  in.  Mrs.  Terriss  sat 
there,  her  cheeks  flushed  and  an  odd  glitter  in  her 
eyes,  which  glowed  darkly  with  some  excitement. 

*'  Philip,"  she  said,  in  a  hard  voice,  "  I  have 
sent  for  you  to  defend  me  against  any  further  an- 
noyance under  the  guise  of  friendship.  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt  I  do  not  blame  ;  she  has  only  carried  out  the 
orders  of  Miss  Redmond.  It  is  strange  that  Miss 
Redmond  should  take  such  an  interest  in  my  af- 
fairs, is  it  not  ?  "  Here  the  speaker  turned  her 
glittering  eyes  with  a  malicious  expression  upon 
Rebecca.  "  It  was  an  entire  mystery  to  me  until 
last  evening,  when  I  heard  something  which  throws 
light  on  the  subject.  It  seems  that  she  is  an  old 
flame  of  yours.  You  visited  her  family  once  in 
your  college  days.  Now,  of  course,  I  understand  it 
all.  Her  ofliciousness  serves  to  keep  her  in  your 
mind  in  the  light  of  an  angel  of  mercy.  Miss 
Redmond,  I "  - 

"  Silence ! "  cried  the  minister,  and  there  was 
silence. 

His  wife  sank  back  in  her  chair,  struck  dumb 
by  his  voice  and  his  transfigured  face. 


202  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Roxana's  eyes  seemed  starting  from  her  head  as 
she  shrank  back  in  horror. 

Miss  Rebecca's  face  grew  white,  nearly,  as  her 
hair.  Her  gentle  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  minister's 
wife,  with  a  look  in  them  as  though  the  woman  had 
stabbed  her  to  the  heart.  They  were  all  four  mo- 
tionless for  a  long  moment,  and  no  one  spoke  as 
Rebecca  turned  noiselessly  and  walked  slowly  from 
the  room. 

The  sound  of  the  closing  of  the  outer  door 
seemed  to  break  the  spell.  Roxana  hurriedly  be- 
gan gathering  up  her  wrap  and  bonnet  and  gloves. 
Mrs.  Terriss  watched  her  anxiously. 

"  Mrs.  Sherritt,  don't  go  yet,"  she  said,  almost 
timidly,  observing  Roxana's  averted  face.  "  I  said 
I  did  not  blame  you  ;  I  am  sure  I  thank  you  "  — 

Roxana  turned,  and  stood  gazing  at  her  with  the 
same  wide,  awe-struck  eyes. 

"  Shame,  shame  upon  you,  forever  and  ever !  " 
she  said,  with  such  solemn  and  concentrated  en- 
ergy that  to  the  invalid's  ears  the  exclamation 
bore  an  unpleasant  resemblance  to  a  curse. 

Mrs.  Terriss  cowered,  but  seemed  unable  to  re- 
move her  eyes  from  the  stare  that  held  them. 

"  I  'm  bound  by  promise,"  continued  Roxana, 
"  or  I  would  tell,  here  and  now,  what  made  that 
angel  who  just  went  out  try  to  help  you  as  she  has 
this  week.  If  you  really  don't  know,  cast  your 
mind  back  to  the  day  Dr.  Ramsey  came  to  see  you. 
What  did  you  do  that  day,  hey?  What  did  you 
do  just  after  Dr.  Ramsey  left  the  room,  hey  ?  " 


A    VENOMOUS  STING.  203 

Roxana's  lips  snapped  together  in  order  to  let 
out  no  more. 

Mrs.  Terriss  trembled,  and  she  looked  more 
frightened  and  bewildered  than  ever. 

"  Nothing  ;  I  —  I  had  hysterics.     I  "  — 

Mrs.  Sherritt  looked  at  her  with  righteous  indig- 
nation. "  I  don't  know  whether  you  really  deceive 
yourself  or  not,"  she  returned.  "Miss  Rebecca, 
whose  shoes  we  ain't  any  of  us  fit  to  tie,  says  you 
do.  She  's  got  a  sight  more  charity  'n  I  have, 
that 's  all ;  "  and  Roxana  caught  up  a  small  leather 
bag  Miss  Redmond  had  forgotten,  and  gave  a  fur- 
tive glance  at  the  minister. 

"  I  might  have  talked  out  as  plain  as  I  wanted 
to,"  she  thought ;  "  he  has  n't  heard  one  word." 
Then  she  hurried  out  of  the  room. 

Mrs.  Terriss  looked  at  her  husband  appealingly. 
His  face  had  not  relaxed  its  terribly  strange  ex- 
pression, his  eyes  looking  away,  over  her  head. 
She  began  to  whimper.  It  was  frightful  to  feel 
such  a  distance  between  them.  He  did  not  seem 
conscious  even  of  her  presence. 

"  Come  and  hold  my  hand,  Philip,"  she  begged. 
M  I  feel  so  wrought  upon  by  all  this  absurd  fuss  "  — 

But  her  husband  did  not  hear  her.  He  sank 
suddenly  into  a  chair  and  bowed  his  head  upon  the 
table  before  him,  convulsed  by  sobs.  Once  before 
in  his  life  had  he  shed  such  bitter,  hard-drawn 
tears.  It  was  on  the  night  before  he  went  to  seek 
his  fragile  fiancee,  to  ask  her  to  name  their  wed- 
ding-day. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

ATTACK   AND   DEFENSE. 

THE  awe  which  had  taken  possession  of  Roxana 
at  Mrs.  Terriss'  words  was  not  dispelled  by  the 
time  she  reached  home.  She  seated  herself  in  the 
empty  parlor,  still  bonneted  and  shawled,  and 
looked  before  her  with  fixed  eyes. 

"  Oh,  my  soul ! "  she  ejaculated.  "  Oh,  my  soul ! 
Miss  Rebecca,  dear  Miss  Rebecca." 

All  the  touching  little  story  which  she  had  re- 
counted to  Phyllis  came  back  to  her,  and  assumed 
for  the  first  time  the  hues  of  reality.  She  thought 
over,  in  a  slowly  appreciative  fashion,  what  it  must 
have  been  to  Miss  Redmond  to  find  in  her  pastor 
her  old-time  lover,  and,  as  she  recalled  the  simple 
and  quiet  manner  in  which  they  had  conducted 
themselves  toward  one  another,  Roxana's  lips 
parted,  and  she  became  more  than  ever  lost  to  her 
surroundings.  New  light  broke  upon  her  concern- 
ing Miss  Redmond's  extreme  agitation  at  the  sug- 
gestion to  tell  Mr.  Terriss  the  truth  about  his  wife. 
She  saw  the  sensitive  conscience,  the  delicate  mind, 
in  new  clearness. 

Her  reverie  was  interrupted  by  her  boarder's 
voice. 

"  Well,  how  did  it  come  out  ?  "  he  asked,  ap- 


ATTACK  AND  DEFENSE.  205 

pearing  at  the  door.  "  Did  Mrs.  Redmond  attend 
the  seance  ?  " 

Roxana  turned  her  eyes  upon  him  with  a  dazed 
expression,  which  she  might  indeed  have  brought 
from  one  of  the  meetings,  usually  designated  by 
the  title  he  had  used  at  random. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  she  asked,  endeavoring  to  recall 
her  thoughts. 

"  Did  your  patient  walk  ?  " 

Roxana  shuddered.     "  No,"  she  replied  curtly. 

"  You  look  tired,"  said  Chester  kindly.  "  I  am 
very  sorry  for  your  disappointment." 

"O  Mr.  Chester,"  and  Mrs.  Sherritt  leaned 
back  in  her  chair  ;  "  that  woman  is  a  —  I  don't 
know  what  to  say  she  is,"  she  finished  abruptly, 
realizing  that  she  was  on  the  eve  of  reviling  a 
member  of  the  sex  she  loved  to  one  of  that  sex 
which,  to  use  Mr.  Gilbert's  phrase,  she  considered 
"  nature's  sole  mistake."  "  I  think  I  shall  have  to 
be  done  with  her,"  she  added. 

"  Oh,  Miss  Redmond  is  responsible  for  this  faint- 
heartedness," said  Terriss. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  nodded.  "  Yes,"  she  replied, 
"  Miss  Rebecca  is  at  the  bottom  of  it." 

"  Mrs.  Redmond  will  be  firmer.  She  will  restore 
your  energies.  You  have  not  tried  me  yet.  I  may 
have  a  suggestion  worthy  to  be  followed." 

Roxana  only  shook  her  head  disconsolately, 
"  I  've  got  the  heartache,  Mr.  Chester,  a  real,  low- 
down,  discouraged  heartache,  and  it 's  all  because 
o'  Mrs.  Terriss.  I  can't  talk  about  her  any  more 


206  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

to-day.  I  want  to  know,  if  you  're  goin'  to  walk 
this  afternoon,  if  you  'd  just  as  soon  go  to  Beech 
Knoll  as  anywhere  ?  " 

"  I  will  go  with  pleasure,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"  Miss  Rebecca  left  her  hand-bag  at  the  minis- 
ter's this  mornin',  and  I  brought  it  home.  I  want 
to  get  it  to  her/' 

Terriss'  countenance  displayed  the  most  cordial 
concurrence.  "  It  is  a  kindness  to  give  me  an  er- 
rand," he  declared. 

"  All  right.  I  should  be  glad  to  send  it ;  but 
when  you  get  there,  Mr.  Chester,  don't  ask  to  see 
Miss  Rebecca ;  if  she  feels  as  tuckered  out  as  I  do, 
she  won't  care  to  have  any  company  to-day.  I  sup- 
pose you  would  just  as  lief  see  Mrs.  Redmond  ?  " 

Accordingly,  after  the  noon  dinner,  Terriss  set 
forth  on  his  commission,  very  little  of  the  invalid 
appearing  in  his  springing  gait.  Arrived  at 
Beech  Knoll^  a  servant  told  him  that  Mrs.  Red- 
mond was  out  in  the  grounds,  perhaps  in  the  grove 
by  the  river. 

Declining  the  maid's  proffered  guidance,  he 
strolled  toward  the  water,  enjoying  the  sunlight, 
the  sweet  odors,  and  a  bird  song,  which  dissolved 
all  their  beauty  in  the  glow  of  his  anticipation. 
He  reached  the  grove,  and  the  sight  that  met  his 
eyes  made  him  pause  suddenly. 

Mrs.  Redmond  was  there  as  he  had  expected,, 
lying  in  a  hammock  as  he  had  suspected,  but  what 
disconcerted  him  was  the  fact  that  she  was  fast 
asleep. 


ATTACK  AND  DEFENSE.  207 

"  The  Sleeping  Beauty  in  the  wood,"  he  thought, 
and  in  natural  sequence  the  Prince's  action  oc- 
curred to  him,  and  he  smiled  as  he  considered  that 
what  was  chivalrous,  romantic,  fitting,  in  the  hero 
of  the  fairy  tale,  would,  if  he  imitated  his  example 
now,  be  unchivalrous  and  mean,  not  to  mention 
being  followed  by  condign  punishment  at  the  hand 
of  the  Beauty. 

"  So  much  for  the  difference  between  fact  and 
romance,"  he  sighed,  but  the  smile  remained  on 
his  lips  as  he  seated  himself  in  a  rustic  chair. 
Nothing  in  all  the  realm  of  fancy  could  be  more 
charming  to  him  than  his  present  nineteenth-cen- 
tury environment,  no  enchanted  bower  of  fairyland 
more  tempting  than  Mrs.  Redmond's  grove  of 
beeches,  and  certainly  no  princess  of  story  could 
have  looked  lovelier,  sleeping,  than  the  lady  before 
him. 

A  light  gray  shawl  was  spread  over  the  ham- 
mock. The  cushion  that  supported  her  head  was 
covered  with  dull,  deep  red  silk,  and  as  she  lay, 
one  hand  beneath  her  cheek  and  the  other  dropped 
upon  the  shawl,  she  made  a  picture  which  caused 
Chester's  hand  to  seek  his  pocket  involuntarily  for 
the  block  of  paper  which  always  accompanied  him. 
He  made  a  rapid  sketch,  but  in  his  eagerness  to 
get  another  he  started  to  tear  off  the  sheet,  and, 
although  he  took  pains  to  remove  it  quietly,  the 
sound  wakened  the  sleeper.  She  turned  slightly, 
opened  her  eyes,  closed  and  opened  them  again, 
started  violently,  and  spoke. 


208  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Mr.  Chester !  " 

"Excuse  me,  I  fear  I  wakened  you,"  he  said 
apologetically. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  How  long  have  you  been 
here?" 

There  was  vexation  in  her  voice,  and  Chester's 
cheerfulness  faded. 

"  Not  very  long,"  he  said  meekly.  "  Perhaps 
fifteen  minutes." 

"  Fifteen  minutes  !  It  might  as  well  have  been 
fifteen  months." 

"I  wish  it  had  been,"  responded  Terriss  de- 
voutly. 

"  Well,  it  was  very  impertinent  in  you,  very." 

Chester  rose,  looking  perplexed.  "  What  should 
I  have  done  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Gone  away,  of  course." 

"  But  I  wanted  to  see  you." 

"  Very  well,  you  saw  I  was  asleep." 

"  And  I  was  perfectly  willing  to  wait,"  returned 
Terriss  quickly. 

Elise  smiled  impatiently,  and  bit  her  lip.  "  I 
am  not  well.  You  will  have  to  excuse  me  to-day. 
Good-afternoon,  Mr.  Chester." 

Terriss  looked  at  her,  his  eyes  full  of  surprise 
and  reproach. 

"  This  is  Miss  Redmond's  bag,"  he  said.  "  I 
came  to  bring  it."  He  laid  it  on  the  chair  he  had 
vacated.  "  Good-by,"  and  he  turned  and  walked 
away. 

Elise  immediately  rose  from  her  helpless  poa- 


ATTACK  AND  DEFENSE.  209 

tare.  "  Is  the  man  half-witted  ?  "  she  thought. 
"  Does  n't  he  know  that  I  have  to  get  out  of  this 
miserable  hammock  ? "  and  with  a  sweep  of  her 
skirts,  she  put  first  one  and  then  the  other  of  her 
slippered  feet  to  the  ground. 

Terriss,  walking  along,  quite  wretched  from  dis- 
appointment, heard  her  voice. 

"  Mr.  Chester." 

He  turned.  She  was  sitting  on  the  edge  of  the 
hammock,  her  back  against  the  netting,  gently 
rocking  herself  to  and  fro.  He  looked  at  her,  and 
as  she  did  not  speak  again,  he  walked  back. 

"  Is  n?t  it  a  wonderfully  warm  day  for  the  sea- 
son ?  "  she  remarked.  "  Is  that  the  reason  Phyl- 
lis did  not  come  with  you  ?  " 

"No.  Mrs.  Sherritt  wanted  her  at  home  this 
afternoon.  Oh,  Phyllis  wanted  me  to  thank  you 
for  the  tennis  suit.  It  looks  very  pretty  on  her." 

"  It  would  be  more  gallant  for  you  to  say  she 
looks  very  pretty  in  it." 

"  I  am  never  gallant.  I  have  not  had  any  prac- 
tice. The  dress  belonged  to  you,  and  that  is  all  I 
think  of  when  I  see  it." 

Elise  smiled.  "  Upon  my  word,  very  well  for 
a  beginner.  Is  it  your  pleasure  to  practice  on 
me?" 

"  I  fear  I  shall  have  to,  if  on  any  one,  for  there 
is  no  one  else  who  will  ever  teach  me  now." 

She  colored.  "  Oh,  fie  !  you  are  too  open.  An 
artist  should  understand  better  keeping  himself  in 
perspective." 


210  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  I  was  putting  myself  in  perspective  as  fast  as 
I  could  when  you  called  me  back.  What  did  you 
wish  ?  " 

"  Why,  to  see  you,  of  course,  after  you  have  come 
so  far." 

"  Then  will  you  tell  me  why  you  sent  me  away  ?  " 

"  For  the  same  reason  that  I  called  you  back." 

"Why  was  that?" 

"You  will  have  to  guess." 

Terriss  reseated  himself,  taking  Miss  Rebecca's 
bag  on  his  knee.  "  I  was  always  very  slow  at 
guessing,"  he  said,  the  serenity  returning  to  his 
face. 

"  Toss  that  bag  over  here  out  of  your  way. 
Perhaps  you  can  tell  me  some  particulars  of  this 
morning's  experience  at  the  parsonage.  My  sister 
came  home  with  such  a  headache  she  could  scarcely 
speak  beyond  telling  me  that  the  experiment  was 
a  failure." 

"  Mrs.  Sherritt  was  more  depressed  when  she  re- 
turned than  I  ever  knew  her  to  be.  Probably  they 
had  counted  more  on  success  than  they  realized." 

"  It  is  a  case  that  interests  me  very  much,"  said 
Elise.  "  I  hope  it  is  not  going  to  be  left  in  this 
way." 

"  It  shall  not  be,  since  you  wish  it.  From  my 
impressions  of  Mrs.  Terriss,  I  should  have  said  that 
perhaps  the  less  locomotion  she  was  capable  of,  the 
better.  However,  you  wish  her  to  walk,  and  so 
some  way  must  be  devised  to  accomplish  it." 

Chester  looked  directly  at  her  as  he  spoke,  with 


ATTACK  AND   DEFENSE.  211 

the  unconscious  worship    in    his   eyes   which    she 
found  so  novel. 

They  had  met  several  times  now,  and  on  each 
occasion  she  had  observed  that  he  never  seemed 
desirous  of  making  a  good  impression  upon  her, 
but  always  wore  the  same  docile  air  of  adoration, 
quite  as  though  what  she  thought  of  him  was  a 
matter  of  no  moment,  but  that  his  subjection  to 
her  was  an  inevitable  matter  of  course.  It  was 
her  first  experience  of  an  admirer  who  exacted 
nothing,  who  seemed  not  even  to  think  of  himself. 
It  was  very  pleasant  flattery,  certainly,  but  it  took 
away  all  the  satisfaction  of  overcoming  resistance 
which  she  had  anticipated  on  the  day  when  his 
letter  to  the  minister  had  angered  and  wounded 
her  so  deeply.  As  she  looked  at  him  now,  he  was 
so  different  from  her  mental  picture  of  the  writer 
of  that  letter,  she  could  scarcely  credit  the  fact  of 
his  identity.  Where  under  that  placid,  gentle 
exterior  dwelt  all  the  resentment  and  obstinacy  he 
had  manifested? 

"  Have  you  sketched  much  of  late  ?  " 

He  smiled  and  touched  his  sketch  block.  "  It 
was  because  I  tried  to  tear  off  a  leaf  from  this  that 
you  waked,"  he  said. 

"  Why,  what  was  there  here  worth  sketching  ?  " 
asked  Elise  quickly  and  suspiciously.  "  Have  you 
taken  my  gi'ove  ?  " 

"  I  shall  not  answer  you,  unless  beforehand  you 
promise  to  spare  my  life." 

"  Then  you  have  done  something  more  imperti- 


212     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

nent,"  she  exclaimed,  coloring.  "  If  you  were 
base  enough  to  sketch  me,  you  must  give  it  to  me 
at  once." 

"  You  are  not  really  angry,  are  you  ? "  He 
asked  it  with  so  much  simplicity  and  anxiety  that 
it  was  with  difficulty  she  forbore  smiling. 

"  Indeed  I  am ;  and  if  you  wish  to  be  forgiven, 
you  will  show  me  that  sketch  immediately." 

"  Well,  I  will  destroy  it,"  and  he  began  tearing 
the  leaf. 

"  No,  no,  I  wish  to  see  it."  She  extended  her 
hand  imperiously. 

He  passed  it  to  her  in  silence,  and  she  studied  it 
eagerly. 

"Did  I  really  look  as  peaceful  as  this?"  she 
asked. 

"  You  looked  very  peaceful." 

"  It  is  not  —  not  becoming  to  people  to  be 
asleep,"  she  said,  still  flushed  and  resentful,  and 
speaking  with  some  embarrassment.  "  You  had 
no  right "  — 

Light  began  to  dawn  upon  Chester  as  to  the 
nature  of  his  offense,  but  he  was  too  earnest  a 
slave  to  feel  any  amusement. 

"  It  is  very  becoming  to  you,"  he  said.  "  You 
fulfilled  my  idea  of  the  Sleeping  Beauty.  This 
sketch  is  nothing,  but  I  could  do  it.  I  could  make 
a  portrait  of  you." 

"  You  have  really  a  gift  for  getting  likeness. 
I  recognize  myself  here.  Why  did  you  not  culti- 
vate your  talent  instead  of  adopting  a  business 
life?" 


ATTACK   AND  DEFENSE.  213 

In  answer  to  the  careless  question,  Elise  saw  the 
face  before  her  change.  The  eager,  happy  light 
faded  that  had  made  it  young,  the  eyes  grew 
gloomy,  the  whole  countenance  expressed  sullen 
endurance  and  discontent.  The  writer  of  the  of- 
fensive letter  of  refusal  was  before  her. 

"  That  is  a  long  story,"  he  replied ;  and  now  she 
understood  how  Rebecca  could  have  been  startled 
by  his  surly  manner.  "  But  it  can  be  made  a  very 
short  one.  Necessity  and  poverty  compelled  me." 

"  That  was  hard.  It  is  a  wonder  you  did  not 
prefer  to  remain  in  the  profession  you  loved,  even 
though  it  kept  you  poor.  That  seems  to  be  the 
artist  spirit." 

"Poor?  I  shall  always  be  poor.  I  have  no  in- 
terest in  making  money ;  but  I  preferred  to  get 
what  time  I  could  for  my  art  work  and  do  it  for 
love,  rather  than  be  a  mediocre  painter,  obliged  to 
do  work  he  loathed  to  obtain  bread  and  butter. 
Of  course  I  shall  never  do  anything  worth  doing. 
I  know  that  well  enough." 

Elise  felt  a  little  thrill  of  compassion  for  the 
speaker. 

"  Not  even  if  you  do  my  portrait  ?  "  she  asked 
lightly. 

The  dark  eyes  that  had  been  gazing  out  toward 
the  water  turned  back  to  her. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  let  me  try  ?  " 

"  I  believe  I  will.  Of  course  it  will  be  on  a  busi- 
ness basis." 

He  smiled.  "  You  mean  you  want  to  pay  me 
for  it?" 


214  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECB  KNOLL. 

"  Yes." 

"  I  would  rather  you  did  not." 

"  Why  ?  "  The  question  was  short,  and  asked 
in  a  tone  which  recalled  Terriss  to  realities. 

He  bowed  slightly.  "  Forgive  me.  You  must 
remember  it  is  a  very  unusual  occurrence  for  me 
to  receive  an  order  for  a  portrait." 

"  An  ability  to  make  really  fine  portraits,"  said 
Elise,  "  would  have  given  you  something  better 
than  a  hand-to-mouth  living."  Her  heart  hurried 
a  little  as  she  decided  how  to  continue.  She  felt 
she  must  draw  him  out,  yet  she  feared  to  be  moved 
to  anger  against  him  by  what  he  might  say  of  her 
father.  "  I  am  sorry  you  happened  not  to  be  able 
to  study,"  she  added. 

"  Especially  as  I  grew  from  childhood  almost  to 
manhood  with  every  expectation  of  having  the 
means  to  do  so." 

Mrs.  Redmond's  heart  pulsed  faster.  "  That 
certainly  made  it  doubly  hard,"  she  said  gently. 

"  It  did.  I  have  never  been  man  enough  to  rise 
above  the  disappointment." 

But  he  had  been  man  enough  to  refuse  her 
money,  and  Elise  remembered  it  now,  realizing 
how  sorely  tempted  he  must  have  been.  "  Have 
you  lost  your  parents  ?  "  she  asked,  to  lead  him  on. 

"  Yes ;  but  a  male  orphan  of  thirty-five  sum- 
mers in  tolerable  health  can  hardly  be  considered 
a  pathetic  object." 

"  That  depends  upon  circumstances.  I  am  an 
orphan  of  twenty-seven  summers,  and  sometimes 


ATTACK  AND  DEFENSE.  215 

I  feel  the  loneliness  to  be  more  pathetic  than  I  did 
at  seventeen.  Your  people  had  money  and  lost  it, 
I  suppose." 

"  A  very  common  fate,"  said  Chester. 

The  evasive  reply  and  succeeding  silence  showed 
Mrs.  Redmond  that  at  least  it  was  not  a  relief  and 
satisfaction  to  him  to  revile  her  father  to  any  chance 
listener. 

"  You  are  not  inclined  to  talk  about  yourself," 
she  remarked,  smiling. 

He  smiled  in  his  turn.  "  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
I  am  a  very  uninteresting  subject,  even  to  my- 
self." 

"  Mr.  Terriss  told  me,  I  believe,  that  you  have 
lived  in  California  most  of  your  life.  I  have 
friends  there.  I  wonder  if  you  know  any  of  them. 
The  Smalls.  Do  you  know  any  of  the  Smalls  ?  " 

"  Yes,  there  were  some  Smalls  who  lived  near 
us,"  replied  Chester,  in  a  manner  which  betokened 
a  supreme  indifference  to  that  family. 

"  The  Smalls,  and  the  Haydens,  and  the  Beck- 
withs,"  continued  Elise.  "  They  lived  near  to- 
gether, and  I  knew  them  all." 

Chester  looked  up  with  a  gleam  of  interest. 
"  You  knew  the  Beckwiths,  Mr.  Aaron  Beckwith's 
family?" 

Again  Mrs.  Redmond's  heart  beat  fast.  His 
eyes  were  fixed  upon  her,  and  it  seemed  to  her  he 
must  recognize  her. 

"  I  knew  Elise  Beckwith.  I  went  to  school  with 
her,"  she  answered. 


216  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

He  looked  away  again,  his  thoughts  evidently  far 
distant. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  her  speak  of  her  father's 
adopted  son  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have,"  replied  Elise  faintly. 

"  I  knew  him,"  said  Terriss  curtly. 

"  Did  you  ?  I  believe  Mr.  Beckwith  was  devoted 
to  him." 

"Indeed?" 

"Yes.  I  used  to  think  it  rather  remarkable 
that  Elise  never  seemed  to  be  jealous  of  him.  It 
was  perfectly  evident  to  me,  from  what  she  said, 
that  the  father's  heart  was  more  bound  up  in  that 
boy  than  in  the  daughter  who  was  his  own  flesh 
and  blood.  Did  it  not  speak  well  for  the  boy  and 
girl  both,  that  the  one  should  have  been  able  to 
command  such  loyalty,  and  that  the  other  should 
have  been  so  willing  to  give  it  ?  " 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  what  became  of  the  boy  ?  " 
asked  Terriss. 

"  I  went  abroad  soon  after  those  school-days." 

"  The  devotion  of  Mr.  Beckwith  for  his  adopted 
son  was  not  so  deep  as  to  prevent  his  sending  him 
adrift  when  a  difference  of  opinion  arose  between 
them." 

"Oh!" 

"  All  the  plans  and  ambitions  which  that  boy 
had  been  encouraged  to  expect  to  carry  out  were 
laid  low  in  a  day,  and  he  dismissed  without  a  dol- 
lar beyond  what  he  had  in  his  pocket.  Not  an 
unprecedented  situation  for  a  boy,  you  will  say. 


ATTACK  AND   DEFENSE.  217 

True ;  but  this  boy,  though  not  entirely  lacking  in 
independence  of  feeling,  had  been  full  of  ardent 
hope  to  progress  in  the  art  he  loved.  It  was  his 
very  life,  and  the  disproportion  between  his  offense 
and  its  punishment  embittered  him." 

"Naturally,"  exclaimed  Elise,  thrilled  by  his 
tone  and  manner  almost  to  forgetfulness  that  she 
was  joining  in  blame  of  her  father.  "  It  was  not 
right !  It  was  not  right !  " 

The  excited  and  sympathetic  tone  made  him  turn 
his  eyes  back  to  her  with  the  old  expression. 
"How  did  we  come  to  talk  of  this?"  he  said. 
"  Let  us  never  do  it  again." 

"  But  I  must.  It  interests  me  so.  Do  you  not 
believe  that,  had  Mr.  Beck  with  lived,  he  would 
have  recalled  you  ?  " 

"Me?" 

Elise  colored  furiously.  "Your  manner  made 
me  suspect "  —  she  said,  "  made  me  certain  that 
you  yourself  are  that  disappointed  boy." 

Chester  laughed.  "  Your  knowledge  of  human 
nature  probably  prevents  you  from  crediting  me 
with  showing  so  much  feeling  for  another." 

"  Not  at  all.  I  have  a  very  high  opinion  of 
human  nature  ;  still,  I  think  you  are  the  boy.  You 
know  women  have  strong  intuitions  and  often  cor- 
rect ones." 

"  The  boy  disappeared  long  ago,"  rather  mood- 
ily. "  I  am  what  he  left  behind  him." 

"  And  the  girl  —  Elise  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Redmond 
softly. 


218  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

He  looked  up.  "  You  have  seen  her  since  I  have, 
if  you  knew  her  in  her  teens." 

"  And  have  you  never  had  sufficient  interest  in 
her  to  seek  her?" 

"  No,  I  never  took  any  interest  in  her.  She  was 
so  much  younger  than  myself,  and  so  seldom  at 
home,  it  was  not  to  be  expected." 

"  Yet  she  took  an  interest  in  you.  She  was  the 
more  generous  of  the  two." 

"  I  fancy  she  still  piques  herself  on  her  gener- 
osity." 

"Why?" 

Chester  raised  his  eyes,  a  humorous  look  in 
them.  "  Perhaps  you  still  correspond  with  your 
school  friend.  I  must  not  answer  your  questions." 

"  I  do  not  correspond  with  her,"  returned  Elise, 
feeling  her  color  rise. 

Terriss  sighed  reminiscently.  "  I  dare  say  she 
is  a  dashing  young  lady,  at  present ;  but  I  remem- 
ber thinking  her  an  extraordinarily  awkward,  un- 
attractive little  thing." 

"  Was  she  indeed  ? "  Mrs.  Redmond's  eyes 
looked  very  resentful  as  she  put  the  question. 

"  Yes,"  returned  the  other  absently ;  "  she  had 
this  bright  red  hair,  and  hardly  any  flesh  on  her 
poor  little  bones." 

"  Ah !  Did  you  never  read  your  Hans  Ander- 
sen when  you  were  a  child,  Mr.  Chester  ?  Did 
you  never  read  of  the  Ugly  Duckling  ?  I  can  as- 
sure you  that  when  I  knew  Elise,  and  she  was 
eighteen,  she  was  not  considered  the  worst-looking 


ATTACK  AND  DEFENSE.  219 

girl  in  school."  The  speaker's  voice  shook  a  little, 
in  spite  of  herself.  "  For  my  part,  I  wonder  you 
feel  no  tenderness  in  the  remembrance  of  that  plain 
little  motherless  child,  whose  indifferent  father  had 
eyes  only  for  yourself,  whose  lot  it  was  to  be  sent 
year  after  year  among  strangers,  and  whose  child- 
ish heart  would  have  responded  so  gladly  to  a  few 
kind  words  from  you,  in  whom  she  felt  all  a  sister's 
pride." 

Terriss  gazed  at  the  speaker  in  surprise,  and 
when  he  discovered  that  there  were  actually  tears 
in  her  eyes,  his  dismay  knew  no  bounds.  "  I  have 
hurt  you  in  some  way  !  "  he  exclaimed  ;  and  his 
honest  despair  must  have  alleviated  a  wound  to 
his  companion's  amour  propre,  had  it  received  one. 

"  Yes,  you  have,"  she  returned.  "  I  do  not  like 
to  think  you  heartless,  and  the  way  you  speak  of 
Elise  Beckwith  is  so  different  from  her  manner  of 
speaking  of  you." 

"  Why  did  you  not  say  you  loved  her  ?  "  asked 
Terriss,  perplexed  by  her  reproach. 

"  I  hope  you  would  still  have  been  honest,  if  I 
had." 

Chester  looked  at  her  gravely.  "Mrs.  Red- 
mond, I  have  led  a  lonely  enough  life.  Be  sure,  I 
have  thought,  many  a  time  in  these  after-years,  of 
Elise,  and  longed  for  her  friendship.  It  was  a 
pleasant  thought  to  me  that  somewhere  in  the 
world  was  this  girl  who,  had  events  turned  as  they 
promised,  would  now  be  calling  me  brother." 

Elise,  woman-like,  shrank  inwardly  at  these  cor- 


220  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

dial  words.  There  was  much  which  she  must  for- 
give before  consenting  to  a  reconciliation  between 
her  actual  self  and  her  father's  adopted  son.  His 
next  words  thawed  her  momentary  stiffness  in  a 
glow  of  unpleasant  surprise. 

"But  lately  an  event  occurred  which  changed 
my  feeling  entirely,  and  deprived  me  of  any  desire 
to  renew  what  could  hardly  at  best  be  called  an 
acquaintance." 

"  And  what  was  that,  please  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Redmond,  in  so  imperious  a  tone  of  demand  that 
her  companion  looked  at  her  a  moment  in  silence. 
Then  he  shook  his  head. 

"  You  are  too  much  a  partisan,"  he  said.  "  Let 
us  change  an  unpleasant  subject." 

Elise  controlled  herself.  "  I  see  you  think  me 
a  little  impertinent  in  wishing  to  hear  the  whole 
story." 

"  You  could  not  be  impertinent.  Nevertheless, 
I  prefer  not  to  call  upon  myself  any  more  such 
flashes  of  your  eyes." 

"  Be  it  so,"  she  replied  carelessly.  "A  man  is 
not  obliged  to  criminate  himself." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon.  There  is  no  question  of 
self-accusation  here." 

"  Then,  if  you  are  so  confident,  why  not  proceed  ? 
Since  I  now  know  both  the  characters,  the  story 
interests  me." 

"Very  well,  I  will.  Your  friend,  Miss  Beck- 
with,  offered  me  money." 

"Yes?" 


ATTACK  AND  DEFENSE.  221 

"  Yes,"  emphatically. 

"Well?     Goon." 

"  Go  on  ?     Is  not  that  enough  ?  " 

"  Enough  for  what  ?  It  was  certainly  very  nice 
of  her,  and  very  natural,  too." 

Elise  looked  undauntedly  into  the  dark  eyes, 
although  their  expression  of  amazement  and  dis- 
pleasure was  not  pleasant  to  endure. 

"  Well,  you  are  even  more  partisan  than  I  ex- 
pected. Still,  you  do  not  understand  yet.  This 
girl,  instead  of  making  any  friendly  advance  to- 
ward me,  or  allowing  me  to  make  her  acquaintance, 
sends  me  through  a  third  party  an  offer  of  money. 
You  "  —  his  hard  tone  changed,  and  he  finished 
apologetically  —  "  you  did  not  understand." 

Mrs.  Redmond  blushed  brightly.  "  I  "  —  she 
hesitated  ;  then  finished  abruptly,  "  I  believe  she 
meant  well." 

Chester  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  That  never 
counts  for  much,  you  know." 

"  It  ought  to,"  said  Elise,  tears  again  in  her 
eyes.  Her  heart  was  beating  fast,  and  she  felt  be- 
wildered and  confused,  in  strange  contrast  to  her 
usual  self-poise.  Amid  the  tumult,  she  realized 
that  this  repeated  display  of  feeling  would  be 
likely  to  arouse  suspicion,  and  that  she  must  leave 
the  subject.  "  Very  well,"  she  continued,  "  you 
are  so  certain  that  you  do  not  misjudge  Elise  that 
I  see  it  is  useless  for  me  to  argue  with  you.  At 
the  same  time,  I  believe  she  has  always  been  more 
generous  to  yoii  than  you  to  her.  I  believe  in  my 
own  sex,  you  see." 


222  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Terriss  nodded.  "  I  might  bring  you  to  regard 
her  motives  as  they  look  to  me,  but  I  am  content 
not  to  try.  I  felt  very  hot  over  the  matter  for  a 
time ;  but  now  the  most  indifferent  being  to  me  on 
earth  is  Elise  Beckwith." 

This  was  said  with  a  look  which  belied  the  words 
so  utterly  that  Mrs.  Redmond  laughed.  She  was 
as  near  to  a  hysterical  condition  as  a  woman  of  her 
strength  can  come. 

"  When  is  my  portrait  to  be  commenced  ?  "  she 
asked  abruptly. 

"Oh,  when  you  like.     To-morrow?"  eagerly. 

"  I  rather  expect  Tony  Bellows  to  arrive  to-inor- 
row.  Why,  what  is  the  matter?  You  do  not  look 
so  rapturous  in  the  prospect  of  seeing  your  friend 
as  you  should." 

"  I  had  forgotten  for  a  little  while  that  he  was 
coming,"  returned  Chester ;  then  he  paused.  He 
perceived  that  he  should  appear  as  absurd  to  re- 
sent Tony's  advent  as  he  would  to  sulk  because  a 
cloud  floated  between  him  and  the  sun. 

"  When  may  I  come,  then  ?  "  he  asked  quietly. 

Elise  looked  at  him  curiously,  almost  inclined  to 
believe  that,  should  she  declare  her  identity,  that 
worshiping  face  would  still  say,  "  Command,  and  I 
obey ;  "  but  she  would  not  risk  it  quite  yet. 

"  Come  Monday,"  she  replied. 

"  Very  well.  Meanwhile,  I  will  study  Mrs.  Ter- 
riss' case." 

"  Oh,  yes.  All  Snowdon  will  lionize  you,  if  you 
succeed  there." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   OLD    BRIDGE. 

WHILE  this  talk  was  going  on,  Miss  Rebecca 
sat  in  her  room  behind  locked  doors  and  pondered. 
After  the  horror  of  the  first  shock  of  Mrs.  Terriss' 
accusation,  she  felt  the  benefit  of  the  strength  and 
temper  which  years  of  self-control  and  orderly  per- 
formance of  duty  had  given  to  her  character.  A 
frantic,  desperate,  girlish  misery  was  impossible  to 
her  now,  and  although  the  fresh  wound  was  a  deep 
one,  she  rose  to  an  endurance  of  it ;  even  more,  to 
a  height  above  it,  from  which  she  could  look  down, 
as  it  were,  upon  her  own  suffering  and  calmly  con- 
sider it.  Nothing  more  humiliating  than  this 
could  have  come  to  her.  All  her  woman's  nature 
cried  out  in  pain  at  the  insult  she  had  received. 
She  even  hesitated  a  moment  before  the  tribunal 
of  her  own  conscience,  asking  whether,  by  ever  so 
little,  there  was  truth  in  the  invalid's  accusation  ; 
but  the  answer  came  quickly:  Not  guilty.  She 
felt  herself  fully  exonerated  from  the  charge.  No 
self-interest  had  insinuated  itself  into  her  genuine 
effort  to  bless.  The  realization  was  a  great  sup- 
port to  her,  and  mitigated  the  force  of  those  poi- 
sonous words  which  seemed  to  echo  over  and  over 
in  her  ears.  At  last,  worn  out  by  excitement  and 


224  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

exertion,  she  lay  down  upon  her  bed  and  fell 
asleep. 

It  was  twilight  in  the  room  when  she  awoke, 
and  for  a  minute  she  felt  bewildered.  Why  had 
she  been  sleeping  at  this  hour?  What  had  hap- 
pened? With  a  rush,  memory  returned  to  her. 
Some  one  in  the  village  knew  of  the  bittersweet 
episode  of  her  youth,  and  discovering  that  the 
minister  was  the  hero  of  the  story,  had  informed 
his  wife,  and  the  latter  had  used  her  knowledge  in 
a  cowardly  and  cruel  fashion. 

"  It  was  a  poor  return,"  mused  Rebecca,  —  "a 
poor  return  ;  but  she  does  not  know." 

She  lay  still,  musing.  Her  thoughts  went  back 
to  that  old  time,  and  she  did  not  attempt  to  divert 
them.  At  last  she  rose,  obeying  an  impulse,  and 
catching  up  a  wrap  went  quietly  downstairs  and 
out  of  the  house.  She  walked  down  the  slight 
declivity  that  led  to  the  river,  then  moved  along 
its  bank  until  she  came  to  a  huge  willow-tree.  At 
sight  of  it,  her  heart  contracted,  giving  her  a  sen- 
sation of  faintness. 

One  step  more  and  her  foot  touched  the  bridge. 
She  walked  out  upon  it,  and  stood  at  the  railing, 
looking  down  into  the  murmuring  water.  Farther 
on,  the  river  would  rush  swiftly  to  turn  the  busy 
wheels  of  the  manufacturer,  but  here  its  voice  was 
hushed,  —  hushed  as  on  that  night  twenty  years 
ago  when  last  she  stood  here. 

As  she  leaned  upon  the  railing,  the  music  of  the 
wavelets  and  the  sighing  of  the  night  winds  amid 


THE   OLD  BRIDGE.  225 

the  branches  of  the  old  trees  mingled  with  the 
thoughts  to  which,  for  once,  she  yielded  without 
a  struggle.  It  was  as  though  the  hurt  she  had 
received  gave  her  the  right  to  relax  her  firmly 
imposed  self-denial. 

The  measurements  of  time  fell  away.  The  warm 
summer  breeze  touched  her  cheek  gently.  She 
was  a  girl  again,  her  heart  swelling  with  its  love, 
yet  nerved  to  its  sacrifice.  The  unspeakable  min- 
gling of  joy  she  would  not  have  missed,  and  agony 
wellnigh  unendurable  possessed  her.  Giving  the 
reins  to  memory,  she  indulged  in  the  unwonted 
luxury  of  living  over  once  again  her  springtime. 

Sooner  or  later,  she  could  not  tell  how  long  she 
had  been  standing  there,  another  step  sounded  on 
the  bridge,  a  man's  step.  It  came  nearer.  Re- 
becca did  not  stir  from  her  position.  Involun- 
tarily and  unreasoningly  she  spoke,  — 

"  Philip." 

The  man  drew  near  and  paused  before  her. 

"  Rebecca,"  he  returned,  and  a  thrill  of  eager- 
ness pervaded  his  tone. 

In  the  waning  light  she  could  distinguish  his 
pallor  and  the  expression  of  his  face.  Instantly 
her  dream  had  fled.  She  was  back  in  the  present, 
and  true  to  her  habit  of  self-forgetfulness,  forgot 
her  own  wound  in  a  rush  of  compassion  for  him. 

"  Do  not  take  it  so,  Philip,"  she  said,  with  falter- 
ing gentleness. 

"  It  seems  too  good  to  be  true  that  you  are  here," 
he  returned  quietly.  "  I  do  not  know  why  I  came, 


226  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

nor  when  I  started.  I  suppose  I  came  to  rest  my- 
self near  you." 

They  stood  side  by  side  in  silence  for  a  minute. 
Rebecca  strove  for  calmness.  She  felt  the  hope- 
lessness of  his  mood  and  realized  that  she  must  be 
strong ;  but  the  enervation  of  her  mental  self-in- 
dulgence had  been  a  poor  preparation. 

"It  is  the  same  sort  of  evening,"  he  said  at 
last.  "  Just  as  cool,  just  as  quiet.  Oh,  the  blessed 
night !  Rebecca,  this  is  rest.  If  only  the  sun 
might  never  rise  for  me  again  —  to  be  near  you  in 
the  coolness  and  the  dark,  and  to  have  the  end 
come  here,  on  the  old  bridge,  where  the  coura- 
geous young  fellow  that  I  once  was  laid  down  life 
and  hope  twenty  years  ago  !  " 

A  sob  rose  in  her  throat,  and  she  could  only  say 
again,  "  Do  not  take  it  so,  Philip." 

The  man  turned  and  looked  at  her. 

"  Did  I  do  right  ?  "  he  demanded,  with  an  acute 
change  of  tone.  "  I  have  never  in  all  these  years 
dared  to  ask  myself  the  question  until  to-day.  It 
meant  madness  to  doubt." 

"  It  is  madness  to  doubt,"  said  Rebecca,  and  her 
voice  grew  firm.  "  You  did  right,  nobly  right.  I 
have  always  honored  you  for  it.  I  honor  you  now 
for  it.  Everything  is  right." 

"  Everything  is  wrong,"  he  returned  dispas- 
sionately. "  Everything  has  been  wrong  since 
that  night." 

"  It  seems  so  to  you,"  said  Rebecca  gently,  "  but 
it  has  been  right,  really  right.  Do  not  question  it, 
even  in  your  thought." 


THE  OLD  BRIDGE.  227 

"  As  to  the  occurrence  of  to-day,"  he  continued, 
in  the  same  tone,  weary  almost  to  indifference, 
"  there  is  nothing  for  me  to  say." 

"  No,  there  is  nothing,"  she  replied  quietly.  "  Is 
there  anything  you  think  I  had  better  do  ?  " 

"Have  you  thought  of  —  going  away?"  he 
asked. 

Rebecca  smiled  faintly.  "  You  have  been  think- 
ing of  it  too.  Yes;  talk  about  our  old  friendship 
is  likely  to  become  general  in  the  village ;  I  have 
considered  going  away." 

Philip  seized  her  hands,  and  she  felt  his  tremble. 
"  O  Rebecca,  I  could  not  bear  it !  "  he  exclaimed, 
a  thrill  of  suffering  in  his  tone.  Tears  sprang  to 
Rebecca's  eyes,  and  her  heart  beat  suffocatingly. 
She  could  not  speak  ;  but  it  was  only  for  a  moment. 

"  You  could  bear  it,  you  will  advise  it,  if  it  is 
best.  Philip,  listen  to  me.  Remember,  when  we 
were  two  weak  young  creatures,  how  in  this  very 
spot  we  had  strength  given  us  to  do  what  was  hon- 
orable and  right.  Have  the  years  not  made  us 
stronger  ?  We  are  more,  not  less,  sure  than  then 
of  receiving  help  when  we  ask  for  it." 

Happily  for  mankind,  a  good  habit  is  as  master- 
ful as  an  evil  one.  Philip  Terriss  had  controlled 
and  constrained  and  denied  himself  for  twenty 
years.  Rebecca's  intuitive  appeal  fell  upon  ear? 
that  could  hear. 

He  dropped  her  hands  and  turned  away. 

"  Forget  my  hasty  words.  Do  not  let  tLrm 
frighten  you  or  affect  your  decision,"  he  said. 


228  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Rebecca  looked  at  him  with  troubled  eyes. 

"  Go,  if  you  fear  at  all  the  gossip  of  idle  tongues," 
he  continued.  "  It  is  little  enough  they  can  find 
to  fasten  upon." 

"  And  if  I  should  decide  that  it  is  best  not  to 
show  fear  of  them  "  — 

"  Then  stay." 

"  And  —  you  ?  "  said  Rebacca  faintly. 

"  I  ?     You  need  not  think  of  me." 

"  You  must  tell  me,"  said  Rebecca  resolutely, 
"  while  we  are  here  alone  with  God  and  conscience, 
if,  so  far  as  you  are  concerned,  you  can  ask  me  to 
stay  in  Snowdon." 

"  Yes,  stay,"  he  replied.  "  Struggle  and  endur- 
ance, struggle  and  endurance,  that  is  life  for  me 
at  best." 

"  Philip !     And  you  are  a  minister !  " 

"  Yes,  and  what  of  that  ?  Why  should  clergy- 
men be  put  in  a  cruelly  unnatural  place  ?  A  strug- 
gling, tempted  minister  is  a  struggling,  tempted 
man,  able  to  derive  no  more  strength  and  help 
from  his  theories  than  any  other  human  being 
derives  from  his.  It  is  the  amount  of  truth  we 
have  lived  that  helps  us  in  an  emergency,  not  the 
amount  of  truth  we  know." 

He  looked  at  Rebecca's  white  hair,  gleaming 
under  the  black  lace  thrown  over  it,  and  smiled 
bitterly.  "  I  sometimes  wonder,"  he  added,  "  if  I 
should  know  what  to  do  with  happiness  if  it  came 
to  me." 

She  glanced  up  at  him,  and  it  would  have  helped 


THE    OLD  BRIDGE.  229 

him  to  catch  the  soft  radiance  in  her  eyes.  "  You 
will  know  when  it  conies." 

"  When  it  comes  ?  "  he  repeated. 

"  Yes,  it  is  coming,  of  course.  What  matter 
whether  in  this  world  or  the  next  ?  It  is  all  life, 
you  know,  and  meanwhile  there  is  always  enough 
work  to  do  and  real  satisfaction  to  be  found  in 
it.  That,  Philip,  you  must  admit  is  a  helpful 
truth,  for  you  are  living  it  every  day." 

"  Yes,  Rebecca,  yes."  There  was  an  utter  absence 
of  elasticity  in  tone  and  manner.  "  Of  course  you 
will  come  no  more  to  my  house,"  he  added,  after  a 
moment  of  silence. 

"  No  more,  of  course." 

"  That  must  be.  My  wife  has  forfeited  all 
claim." 

"  Philip,  forgive  her,"  said  Miss  Redmond,  with 
timid  appeal.  "  No  one  could  live  the  life  she 
does  without  becoming  morbid.  She  sees  things 
in  a  distorted  fashion.  Tell  me  you  forgive  her. 
It  was  her  love  for  you  "  — 

"  Rebecca !  "  the  minister  interrupted  sharply. 
"  Yes,  you  are  right,"  he  added  gently,  "  you  are 
always  right.  I  think  I  shall  see  the  situation  cor- 
rectly after  a  time.  Just  to  night  I  can't  think 
about  it.  When  she  accused  you  to-day,  something 
within  me  seemed  to  snap.  If  hearts  ever  broke,  I 
should  think  mine  had.  Some  resistance,  some  grip 
that  I  had  on  things  yesterday  has  gone." 

The  quietly  spoken  words  sent  a  desolate  chill 
through  Rebecca's  heart.  She  was  silent,  for  there 


230  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

were  no  words  that  she  might  speak  to  comfort 
him. 

The  river  murmured  and  sang.  The  willow 
dipped  its  tassels  deeper  in  the  water  as  the  wind 
arose. 

"  Stale  and  unprofitable,"  said  Philip  musingly. 
"  Surely  no  man  ever  had  greater  cause  than  I  to 
look  back  on  life  and  say,  to  what  good  ?  " 

His  companion  turned  to  him  suddenly.  "I 
cannot  listen  to  that,"  she  said.  "You  have  ful- 
filled the  duties  of  your  profession  conscientiously, 
and  you  have  made  your  wife  happy.  You  have 
succeeded  in  your  undertaking,  succeeded.  Think 
what  that  means,  Philip !  You  should  be  humbly 
thankful,  happy  this  night,  instead  of  downcast. 
You  have  shown  yourself  a  hero  in  the  battle  of 
life,  and  do  you  say  to  what  good  ?  Do  not  dis- 
appoint me  so.  It  is  not  your  inmost  feeling.  I 
refuse  to  believe  it."  Her  earnest  tone  changed 
to  one  of  anxiety.  "You  are  shivering.  Come, 
you  must  not  stay  here  longer.  You  must  go  home 
directly." 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  taking  her  hand  in  his  cold 
one,  "  this  leaf  is  turned.  I  must  go  —  home.  We 
leave  the  old  bridge  together  to-night,  Rebecca. 
We  did  not  before.  You  went,  I  stayed.  Do  you 
remember  ?  " 

Rebecca  looked  at  him  with  yearning  compassion. 
"  The  bridge  has  been  made  over  since  that  night," 
she  said  gently.  "  It  is  not  the  same  bridge. 
We  are  not  the  same  people.  We  must  not  re- 


TEE  OLD  BRIDGE.  231 

member  too  much.  You  yourself  once  called  my 
attention  to  one  of  the  best  rules  of  life  I  have 
ever  had.  '  Look  up  and  not  down  ;  look  forward 
and  not  back ;  look  out  and  not  in  ! ' 

"  Forward  and  not  back,"  repeated  Philip  as  he 
relinquished  her  hand,  and  they  advanced  upon  the 
soft,  damp  turf.  "  Good  teaching,  good  teaching. 
My  inclination  is  to  look  a  long  way  forward,  as  it 
is  to  look  a  long  way  back." 

At  the  graveled  walk,  they  parted.  Nothing 
save  a  simple  good-night  passed  between  them, 
and  Rebecca  stood  still  to  look  after  the  minister's 
figure,  walking  heavily  toward  the  gate. 

When  it  disappeared,  she  caught  her  breath  in 
an  involuntary,  tremulous  sigh,  and  began  to  move 
slowly  toward  the  house. 

She  was  conscious  now  of  feeling  bruised  and 
tired  from  the  strain,  and  as  though  she  must  have 
a  long  interval  of  rest  and  stillness  to  restore  her 
inner  tranquillity. 

What  then  was  her  disappointment  on  entering 
the  house  to  hear  a  bright,  hearty  voice  in  the 
hall.  "  Don't  trouble  yourself.  I  '11  find  somebody, 
never  fear.  Just  take  this  box,  will  you,  and  give 
the  roses  a  drink." 

Tony,  of  course !  Tony,  bringing  a  flower-laden 
breeziness  with  him,  forming  with  his  youthful, 
happy  noisiness  the  most  striking  contrast  that 
could  be  found  to  the  overstrained  man  with  whom 
she  had  just  parted. 

She  shrank  back  with  the  idea  of   concealing 


232  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

herself,  but  at  that  moment  Tony  turned  from  the 
maid  into  whose  hands  he  had  intrusted  a  box. 

"  Why,  Miss  Rebecca,  I  'm  awfully  glad  to  see 
you,"  exclaimed  the  cordial  young  fellow,  advanc- 
ing and  shaking  her  hand  heartily.  "  It  seems  a 
year  since  I  was  here  before.  Now  don't  say  any- 
thing cruel.  Mrs.  Redmond  would,  but  you  won't, 
I  know.  You  have  some  mercy  on  a  fellow." 

"  You  are  one  of  the  last  beings  on  earth  who 
should  appeal  for  mercy,  Mr.  Bellows." 

"  Oh,  don't  call  me  Mr.  Bellows.  You  know 
we  settled  that  the  last  time  I  was  here." 

"  Did  we  ?  So  we  did.  Well,  it  is  much  easier 
to  say  Tony.  I  never  feel  quite  so  old  and  slow 
as  I  do  when  you  are  about.  Go  into  the  parlor, 
and  I  will  call  Mrs.  Redmond." 

"  Not  yet.  Not  quite  yet,  Miss  Rebecca.  I 
have  been  thinking  of  you  all  the  way  out  from 
town,  and  who  knows  if  I  will  have  another  oppor- 
tunity to  see  you  so  quietly  alone." 

"  Thinking  of  me  ?  "  said  Rebecca,  leading  the 
way  into  the  dimly  lighted  parlor.  "I  wonder 
why." 

"  Because,"  returned  Tony  ruefully,  "  you  are 
just  as  good  and  kind  as  you  can  be,  and  I  knew 
you  would  n't  snub  me  if  I  told  you.  No,  let  us 
not  have  a  brighter  light.  I  like  this  very  much, 
if  you  do." 

Rebecca  sat  down  obediently  in  a  chair  the  young 
fellow  drew  forward  for  her. 

"  It  will  be  such  a  comfort  for  me  to  talk  it 


THE  OLD  BRIDGE.  233 

over,"  he  continued.  "  In  the  first  place,  I  must 
ask  you  outright,  Miss  Redmond,  if  you  would  have 
any  feeling  as  to  your  sister-in-law's  making  a 
second  marriage  ?  " 

"  None  at  all,  I  assure  you." 

"  Then  oh,  Miss  Rebecca,"  he  burst  forth,  "  do 
you  suppose  she  would  marry  me  ?  " 

"  You  !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Redmond,  in  such  gen- 
uine astonishment  that  poor  Tony  colored  even  in 
the  darkness  up  to  his  yellow  hair. 

"  Oh,  come  now,  don't  take  it  that  way,"  he  pro- 
tested. 

"  But  you  are  —  she  is  older,  several  years  older 
than  you." 

"  Age  has  nothing  to  do  with  her  any  more  than 
it  would  have  with  any  other  goddess,"  burst  forth 
the  lover.  "I  do  adore  her  so,  and  I  can't  get 
over  it,  and  I  can't  forget  her,  and  I  shall  never 
change,"  finished  Tony,  volubly  replying  in  ad- 
vance to  the  time-honored  advice  he  feared  to  re- 
ceive. "  She  does  n't  care  for  anybody  else,  does 
she?" 

"  I  imagine  not ;  but  I  am  certain,  Tony,  really 
certain  "  —  began  Miss  Rebecca  kindly. 

"  I  shall  ask  her  anyway,"  he  interrupted  ob- 
stinately. 

"  You  will  astonish  her  very  much,  and  you  will 
put  an  end  to  the  pleasant  relationship  between 
you." 

"You  are  extremely  certain  what  answer  she 
would  give  me,  are  n't  you  ?  " 


234  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  And  you  are  also  in  your  inmost  heart,"  re- 
turned  Miss  Rebecca.  "  There  would  be  something 
unsuitable  about  the  match  which  you  can  feel  and 
see." 

He  was  quiet  a  minute,  then  he  spoke  again. 

"  A  very  queer  thing  happened  to  me  once,  Miss 
Redmond.  A  young  lady,  a  very  nice  girl  in 
every  way,  proposed  to  me." 

"  That  was  a  queer  thing,"  remarked  Miss  Re- 
becca dryly. 

"  But  she  was  a  very  nice  girl  and  a  good  girl," 
said  Tony  eagei'ly.  "  Never  mind.  All  I  speak 
of  it  for  is  because  I  remember  how  neatly  I 
thought  I  got  out  of  it.  I  told  her  she  was  surely 
mistaken  in  believing  that  she  cared  for  me,  be- 
cause love  always  begets  love,  and  I  did  not  love 
her." 

"  That  was  neat,"  admitted  Miss  Rebecca. 

"  But  it  was  a  lie.  Have  n't  I  proved  it  to  be  a 
lie,  since  I  adore  Elise,  and  she  is  indifferent  to- 
me?" 

Miss  Redmond  smiled.  "  It  would  certainly  be 
impossible  for  Mrs.  Redmond  to  return  the  affec- 
tion of  all  the  men  who  have  believed  they  adored 
her,"  she  remarked. 

"  Do  you  imagine  for  one  minute  any  of  those 
others  felt  as  I  do?  I  have  come  out  here  with 
my  mind  made  up  to  tell  her  the  truth,  and  pru- 
dent or  imprudent  I  shall  do  it.  I  know  I  shall 
not  be  able  to  be  in  her  presence  five  minutes  with- 
out doing:  so.  I  "  — 


THE   OLD  BRIDGE.  235 

"Well,  well,  Tony,  what  in  the  world  is  the 
matter  ?  "  questioned  Elise  gayly,  coming  into  the 
room. 

Mr.  Bellows  gave  a  guilty  and  violent  start,  and 
sprang  to  his  feet. 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Redmond,  I  came  a  little  sooner  than 
I  expected.  You  don't  mind,  I  hope.  I  have  n't 
inconvenienced  you  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all.  We  are  delighted,"  returned  the 
hostess,  giving  him  her  hand.  "  We  have  really 
looked  forward  to  having  a  sportive  young  person 
about  again." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Tony,  stiffening  into  extreme 
dignity,  and  growing  warm  at  the  laughing  tone. 

"  Yes,  you  shall  turn  Beech  Knoll  into  one  big 
playground,  and  I  shall  invite  that  pretty  little 
girl,  Phyllis  Flower,  to  come  and  play  with  you. 
Speaking  of  flowers,  the  roses  you  brought  me  are 
exquisite.  But  why  are  you  in  the  dark  in  here? 
Was  it  Rebecca  you  were  addressing  in  such  sten- 
torian tones  ?  " 

"  Yes  —  I  —  I  "  —  stammered  Tony,  evidently 
quaking. 

"  I  heard  only  enough  to  make  me  immensely 
curious.  You  were  going  to  tell  somebody  some- 
thing before  you  had  been  in  her  presence  five  min- 
utes ;  and,  judging  by  your  tone,  when  that  some- 
body hears  the  something,  her  blood  will  run  cold. 
Are  n't  you  going  to  tell  me  about  it  ?  I  am  just 
as  safe  a  confidante  as  Miss  Redmond." 

"I  —  I  can't  tell  you.     That  is,  not  now,"  hesi- 


236     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

tated  Tony,  conscious  of  his  own  absurdity  and 
fuming  proportionately.  "  It  was  n't  much  of  any- 
thing —  that  is,  you  will  know  some  time." 

"  I  think  I  will  go  upstairs,  if  you  will  excuse 
me,"  said  Miss  Redmond,  rising. 

Tony  seized  her  arm.  "  Oh,  stay  awhile  longer," 
he  said,  trying  to  use  a  jovial  tone,  which  succeeded 
only  in  being  desperate. 

"  Yes  ;  we  will  have  a  light  so  we  can  see  one  an- 
other," remarked  Elise.  "  You  can't  plead  sleepi- 
ness so  soon  as  this,  after  your  nap  of  this  after- 
noon, Rebecca." 

Tony  took  advantage  of  his  hostess'  move  to  call 
the  servant,  and  turned  to  Miss  Redmond. 

"  I  can't  say  anything  while  she  is  in  this  mood, 
of  course,"  he  muttered  impatiently. 

"  Very  wise,"  returned  Rebecca,  smiling.  "  If 
you  will  be  advised  by  me,  you  will  keep  her  friend- 
ship exactly  as  it  is." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
MR.  BELLOWS'  CONFIDENCE. 

"  ROXANA,  you  must  tell  me  what  is  the  matter 
with  you,"  cried  Phyllis  imperiously.  "  I  have 
spoken  to  you  three  times  without  being  able  to 
get  your  attention." 

"  Maybe  I  'm  gettin'  deaf,  Phyllis,"  replied  Mrs. 
Sherritt  with  a  start.  "  Old  age  will  come  to  high 
or  low,  spry  or  slow,  if  they  live  long  enough." 

"  Oh,  don't  give  such  an  excuse.  Only  look  in 
the  glass  at  your  eyes.  They  have  been  just  as 
round  and  scared  as  that  ever  since  you  got  home 
from  Mrs.  Terriss'  that  day.  I  doubt  if  they  have 
closed  since.  You  never  kept  a  secret  from  me 
before.  I  think  you  are  too  unkind.  Now  do  tell 
me  what  happened  at  Mrs.  Terriss'." 

"  She  would  n't  step  foot  to  the  ground.  I  told 
you  that,  and  that 's  all  I  've  got  to  tell." 

"  Miss  Rebecca  will  tell  me,"  remarked  the  girl, 
with  a  determined  setting  of  the  lips. 

"  Phyllis  Flower,  look  here."  Roxana  grasped 
her  arm  with  a  force  that  made  her  wince.  "  If 
you  want  to  be  mortified  and  ashamed  to  the  last 
day  of  your  life,  do  you  ask  Miss  Rebecca  about 
that  day.  If  you  want  to  disobey  and  displease 
me  more  'n  you  ever  have  since  you  was  born,  do 
you  speak  to  Miss  Rebecca  on  that  subject." 


238  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Phyllis  stared  for  a  moment  with  parted  lips. 
It  seemed  incredible,  but  there  were  actually  tears 
in  Mrs.  Sherritt's  eyes. 

"  Well,"  she  returned  after  her  long  scrutiny, 
"  I  am  simply  burning  with  curiosity." 

"Burn,  then,"  retorted  Eoxana,  loosening  her 
grip  to  dash  away  the  gathering  tears,  and  going 
briskly  about  her  housework. 

"  Sha'n't  I  ever  know  ?  "  asked  Phyllis. 

"  I  pray  you  won't,  but  perhaps  you  will." 

"  Never  from  you,  though,"  said  Phyllis. 

"  You  can  rest  assured  o'  that,"  replied  Roxana 
shortly. 

Phyllis  made  a  little  move  of  disgust,  and 
skipped  across  the  room  and  out  of  the  open  door 
with  such  vigor  and  abandon  as  very  nearly  to 
cause  a  collision  between  herself  and  an  individual 
in  the  act  of  ascending  the  steps. 

If  her  startled  cry  was  scarcely  sufficiently  re- 
pressed for  good  manners,  she  was  to  be  excused, 
since  anything  so  gorgeous  as  Mr.  Bellows  in  his 
tennis  costume  had  never  before  been  observed  at 
the  entrance  of  any  of  the  staid  old  dwellings  of 
Snowdon.  He  wore  trousers  of  white  flannel  and 
an  uncommonly  blazing  "  blazer  "  and  cap,  making 
an  effect  so  surprising  that  Phyllis,  in  her  quaint 
little  pink  calico  gown,  could  only  stand,  after  the 
first  retreat,  and  stare,  and  gasp,  — 

"  Mr.  Bellows !  Oh  —  why,  Mr.  Bellows  !  How 
do  you  do  ?  Won't  you  come  in  ?  " 

"  Thank  you,  I  will,  just  long  enough  for  you  to 


MR.    BELLOWS'    CONFIDENCE.  239 

get  ready  to  return  with  me.  I  am  commissioned 
to  bring  you,  and  under  no  circumstances  to  take 
no  for  an  answer,"  returned  Tony,  shaking  hands 
and  looking  appreciatively  at  the  girl's  brown 
eyes,  clear  complexion,  and  short  dark  waves  of 
hair.  Miss  Redmond  had  been  depressing,  dis- 
couraging, on  the  evening  of  his  arrival,  certainly. 
She  had  actually  succeeded  in  persuading  him  to 
lock  his  feelings  in  his  bosom  so  far  through  his 
visit ;  but  the  weather  was  beautiful,  and  the  be- 
comingness  of  Phyllis's  pink  gown  raised  his  cork- 
like  spirits  a  degree  higher  than  they  had  been  for 
many  a  day. 

Roxana,  hearing  the  approaching  voice,  ap- 
peared at  the  parlor  door. 

"  Who  "  —  she  began,  and  paused.  Tony's 
canary  and  crimson  stripes  arrested  her.  He 
bowed  low,  cap  in  hand,  and  Roxana  responded 
with  a  slight  nod,  while  her  eyes  never  forsook  the 
amazing  coat. 

"  Mr.  Bellows,  you  know,  Roxana,"  exclaimed 
Phyllis  eagerly.  "  Mrs.  Redmond  wants  me  to 
come  and  play  tennis.  Of  course  I  can  go." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  would  have  required  a  heart  of 
flint  to  withstand  the  intensity  of  appeal  thrown 
into  the  closing  words. 

"  Oh,  by  the  way,"  remarked  Tony,  "  Mrs.  Red- 
mond sent  an  invitation  also  to  Mr.  Chester." 

"  Go  up  and  ask  him,  will  you,  Roxana?  "  asked 
Phyllis.  "  I  will  go  at  once  and  change  my  dress. 
I  will  not  detain  you  long,  Mr.  Bellows,"  and  she 
left  the  room. 


240  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  climbed  resignedly  to  her  boarder's 
door,  and  knocked. 

"  Come  in,"  was  called  in  an  unusually  cheerful 
voice,  and  she  entered.  Chester  merely  glanced 
up  from  the  collection  of  tubes  and  brushes  scat- 
tered about  him.  "  Have  you  come  to  see  why  I 
am  spending  so  much  valuable  time  indoors?  I 
wish  to  have  everything  all  ready  in  case  Mrs. 
Redmond  should  send  for  me.  I  suppose  Phyllis 
told  you  that  I  am  going  to  paint  Mrs.  Redmond's 
portrait." 

"  She  's  sent  for  you  now,"  said  Roxana  shortly. 

Terriss  looked  up  eagerly. 

"  No,  you  can  leave  your  paints  and  things  this 
time.  She  wants  you  should  come  and  play  ten- 
nis. That  young  man  Bellow  is  downstairs,  lookin' 
as  though  he  'd  just  come  out  of  a  circus  ring.  If 
I  ever  saw  the  like,  my  name  ain't  Sherritt." 

"  Oh,"  with  a  decided  falling  of  the  countenance, 
"  Tony  has  arrived,  has  he  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  he  had.  A  body  needs  blue 
spectacles  to  look  at  him  with  comfort.  Phyllis  is 
hurryin'  up  to  go.  She  's  sent  for,  too." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Chester,  returning  to  the  ex- 
amination of  his  brushes.  "  Please  ask  them  not 
to  wait  for  me.  I  will  follow  after  a  time." 

Roxana  nodded,  and  took  her  way  to  Ph)7llis's 
room.  The  girl  was  in  the  act  of  slipping  on  the 
costume  in  which  her  soul  rejoiced.  The  corners 
of  Mrs.  Sherritt's  mouth  twitched  down  in  a  re- 
pressed smile  of  gratification  as  she  regarded  the 


MR.    BELLOWS'    CONFIDENCE.  241 

pretty  picture.  Phyllis  tied  the  long  soft  sash  of 
gray  silk,  then  turned  about  for  inspection. 

"  You  look  very  well,"  said  Roxana,  in  that 
moderate  and  cool  tone  which  she  deemed  whole- 
some for  the  young  and  flighty.  "I  did  think 
them  stripes  o'  yours  was  some  showy  yesterday, 
but  good  land,  since  I  've  seen  that  chap  in  the 
parlor  there,  you  look  modest  enough." 

"  Oh,  he  is  elegant,  Roxana." 

"  Elegant,  eh  ?  "  responded  Mrs.  Sherritt  dryly. 
"  May&e  ;  but  all  the  same,  if  you  should  see  any- 
body 011  your  way  up  there  that  looks  as  if  he 
might  be  the  fool-catcher,  my  advice  is  that  you 
screech  for  help." 

Phyllis  laughed,  threw  her  arms  around  Mrs. 
Sherritt's  neck,  and  pressed  her  blooming  cheek  to 
the  sallow  one. 

"  Dear  old  Roxana ! "  she  exclaimed,  an  exult- 
ant, rich  sense  of  life  possessing  her ;  "  it  is  too 
bad  that  I  have  all  the  fun." 

Roxana  patted  her  with  a  sparing  caress.  "  Yes, 
it  is  too  bad  that  I  can't  go  and  race  around  in  the 
hot  sun  and  bat  a  ball  against  that  big  red  and 
yeller  butterfly  ;  but  I  '11  try  to  bear  it." 

"  Will  you  truly  have  a  good  time,  Roxana  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  will.  It  '11  be  a  regular  treat  to 
have  you  and  Mr.  Chester  both  gone.  I  have  n't 
read  '  The  Lamplighter '  yet,  this  year.  I  would  n't 
wonder  but  I  'd  sit  down  and  begin  it,  after  things 
are  all  quiet." 

"Yes,  do,"  returned  the  girl,  releasing  her. 
"  Any  message  for  Miss  Rebecca  ?  " 


242  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  No,  not  a  word,"  replied  Roxana  decidedly. 
"  Don't  say  a  word  to  her  about  me." 

"  You  are  n't  vexed  with  Miss  Rebecca  ?  That 
is  n't  the  secret,  is  it  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am,  it  ain't.  "When  I  'm  vexed  with 
Miss  Rebecca,  it  11  be  time  to  put  me  in  a  strait- 
jacket.  Mr.  Chester  '11  be  along  presently.  He 
ain't  quite  through  fixiu'  his  paints,  and  he  don't 
want  you  to  wait  for  him.  You  are  gettin'  to  feel 
pretty  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  Chester,  Phyl- 
lis ?"  finished  Roxana,  an  unpleasant  remembrance 
floating  up  to  her  of  Mrs.  Terriss'  prognostica- 
tions. 

"  Oh,  yes.  Much  of  the  time  I  feel  that  I  have 
known  him  always,"  returned  the  girl ;  "  but  some- 
times he  goes  away  from  me,  —  seems  all  shut  up, 
you  know." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  watched  the  unclouded  face  as 
Phyllis  bent  over  a  drawer  looking  for  her  gloves. 
"  If  that  ain't  a  heart-whole  girl,  I  never  saw  one," 
she  thought ;  but  she  decided  to  press  the  matter 
a  little.  "  We  shall  miss  him  some  when  he  goes 
back  to  the  city,"  she  remarked. 

"  We  shall  indeed,"  said  Phyllis  absently.  "  Rox- 
ana, where  do  you  suppose  my  gloves  are  ?  " 

"  A  fig  for  Mrs.  Terriss !  I  might  have  known 
she  could  n't  have  a  sensible  idea."  This  comfort- 
ing thought  flitted  quickly  through  Roxana's  brain  ; 
then  she  fell  to  scolding  Phyllis  vigorously  for  be- 
ing guilty  of  such  a  lapse  from  order  as  to  mislay 
her  gloves. 


MR.   BELLOWS'    CONFIDENCE.  243 

A  few  minutes  later,  the  girl  came  into  the  par- 
lor and  joined  her  gay  cavalier,  who  looked  his  ap- 
proval of  her  appearance. 

Roxana  stood  at  a  window  and  watched  their 
departure.  "  Red  and  yeller,  catch  a  feller,"  she 
murmured.  "  I  kinder  hope  Phyllis  won't  meet 
anybody  she  knows,  and  yet  she  looks  as  pretty  as 
a  pink,  if  I  do  say  it.  See  that  Bellow  man  look 
at  her !  Yes,  look,  young  feller ;  there  ain't  a 
better  lookin',  nicer  girl  on  any  avenue  in  Boston. 
I  ain't  one  bit  afraid  to  have  you  look  at  her,  from 
her  little  silky  curls  that  I  brushed  around  my  fin- 
ger when  she  was  a  baby,  down  to  her  feet.  Phyl- 
lis has  got  nice  feet,  and  I  have  n't  ever  let  'em  be 
stunted  or  pinched.  They  're  a  good  shape,  and 
she  springs  along  on  'em  exactly  as  Mother  Nature 
meant  she  should.  She  '11  keep  you  at  it,  young 
man,  to  keep  up  with  her,"  and  Roxana  turned 
away  from  the  window  with  a  low,  slow  laugh,  as 
the  young  couple  vanished  from  her  sight. 

It  was  no  wonder  that  Mrs.  Sherritt  had  been 
able  to  read  admiration  in  the  pose  of  Tony's  head. 
He  looked  his  companion  over  quite  openly. 

"  That  is  the  prettiest  little  dress  I  have  seen  in 
a  long  time,"  he  remarked,  gazing  approvingly  at 
the  cap  set  jauntily  on  the  short,  shining  hair. 

"  I  am  glad  you  like  it,"  responded  Phyllis,  as 
carelessly  and  promptly  as  though  it  were  not  a 
total  novelty  for  her  to  have  her  clothes  remai'ked 
upon  by  a  young  man.  It  was  a  delightful  thing 
altogether  to  feel  sure  she  was  correctly  and  be 


244  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

comingly  dressed,  to  be  escorted  by  a  splendid  be- 
ing from  Boston,  and  to  be  going  to  Beech  Knoll. 
That  the  sun  should  shine,  the  breezes  blow,  and 
the  birds  sing,  seemed  only  proper  recognition  on 
the  part  of  Nature  of  so  ideal  a  set  of  circum- 
stances. "My  dress  is  very  deceptive,  though," 
continued  Phyllis.  "  It  is  a  prophetic  costume. 
It  indicates  what  a  very  skillful  tennis  player  I 
intend  to  become  at  some  future  day.  For  the 
present,  I  play  ridiculously." 

"  Never  mind.  Only  get  Mrs.  Redmond  to  take 
you  on  her  side.  Her  playing  carries  anybody 
along,"  and  Tony  finished  with  a  sigh  which  testi- 
fied to  the  depth  and  soundness  of  his  lungs. 

Phyllis  laughed.  "Is  that  so  very  sad?"  she 
asked ;  "  or  are  you  still  so  afraid  of  Mrs.  Red- 
mond that  she  is  a  solemn  subject  to  you  ?  " 

"I  —  I  am  somewhat  afraid  of  her  still,  I  admit. 
Such  a  glorious  woman  as  she  is  would  inspire  any 
man  with  that  homage,  that  admiration,  that  has 
something  of  awe  in  it." 

"  I  am  not  in  the  least  afraid  of  her  any  more," 
said  Phyllis  rather  brusquely.  It  was  the  first 
time  praise  of  Mrs.  Redmond  had  failed  to  please 
her.  "  I  find  she  is  much  too  kind  and  sensible 
and  noble  to  inspire  fear  when  one  knows  her." 

"  Ah,  noble  !  Noble  is  the  word  !  "  exclaimed 
Tony  eagerly.  "  You  have  it,  Miss  Flower :  no- 
ble in  face,  noble  in  form,  noble  in  movement,  no- 
ble in  character,  in  aspirations.  Ah !  "  and  Tony 
finished  with  another  prodigious  sigh. 


MR.   BELLOWS'   CONFIDENCE.  245 

Phyllis  broke  into  a  little  mocking  laugh.  "  1 
begin  to  think  your  name  is  very  appropriate,  Mr. 
Bellows.  Be  kind  enough  not  to  blow  me  off  the 
sidewalk." 

"  I  beg  pardon  ?  "  asked  Tony  vaguely. 

"  Why  those  tremendous  sighs  ?  " 

"  Did  I  sigh  ?  Well,  I  have  reason  enough.  I 
have  no  right  to  bother  you  with  my  affairs  ;  but 
this  one  absorbing  thought  I  find  it  difficult  to 
keep  from  everybody  except  the  one  person  I  ought 
to  tell  it  to.  I  know  you  would  discover  my  secret 
long  before  to-day  is  over.  Miss  Flower,  you  knonr 
Mrs.  Redmond  perhaps  better  than  I  do  ;  does  it 
seem  to  you  she  would  be  a  very  difficult  person  t/* 
propose  to  ?  " 

"  To  propose  to,  Mr.  Bellows  !  " 

"  I  am  sure  I  do  not  see  why  it  should  astonish 
you  so,"  returned  Tony,  nettled.  "  Miss  Rebecca 
received  the  suggestion  in  the  same  way.  Now, 
when  you  know  that  Mrs.  Redmond  is  a  woman 
that  everybody  falls  in  love  with,  why  should  it  be 
so  amazing  that  a  man  should  propose  to  her?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Phyllis  shortly.  "  Per- 
haps it  is  because  she  seems  such  a  self-sufficient 
person.  We  all  admire  her :  I  do,  you  do,  Mr. 
Chester  does  "  — 

"  Oh,  Chester  does,  does  he  ?  "  asked  Tony 
quickly.  u  Well,  he  would  n't  if  "  —  He  checked 
himself  with  a  thrill  of  dismay  at  his  narrow  es- 
cape from  indiscretion ;  "  that  is,  I  did  not  know 
that  Chester  ever  admired  anybody.  How  is  he 
now  ?  " 


246  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Quite  well." 

"  About  time  for  him  to  be  going  back  to  town, 
X  should  think,"  remarked  Tony  carelessly. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know.  He  does  not  seem  to  think 
of  such  a  thing." 

"  Well,  it  is  very  strange,"  said  Tony  irritably. 
"I  don't  see  why  he  should  want  to  hang  about 
here.  I  don't  see  what  the  attraction  can  be." 

"  That  is  because  you  are  not  artistic,  Mr.  Bel- 
lows," replied  Phyllis  quietly,  but  with  a  little 
sparkle  of  amusement  in  her  eyes.  "  Mr.  Chester 
finds  the  most  charming  views  about  here,  he  tells 
me,  —  especially  in  the  region  of  Beech  Knoll." 

"  Ah !  goes  up  there,  does  he  ?  "Well,  well, 
that  is  odd,  all  things  considered." 

"  Why  is  it  odd  ?  You  seem  to  think  it  well 
worth  while  to  travel  the  distance  from  Boston  for 
the  pleasure.  It  is  certainly  not  strange  that  Mr. 
Chester  should  enjoy  strolling  up  there  for  an  af- 
ternoon now  and  then,  or  to  stay  to  a  cozy  lunch." 

Tony  writhed.  "  Well,  Mrs.  Redmond  has  her 
reasons  for  allowing  it,  I  suppose,  but  Chester  is 
a  gruff  old  chap,  —  never  saw  any  society  worth 
mentioning." 

"  Yes,"  said  Phyllis,  beginning  to  enjoy  the  sit- 
uation. "  I  imagine  he  will  be  going  q\iite  regu- 
larly after  a  time.  She  has  asked  him  to  paint 
her  portrait." 

"  No !  "  ejaculated  Tony. 

"  Oh,  yes.  I  dare  say,  however,  they  will  not 
begin  it  until  after  you  have  gone,"  returned 
naughty  Phyllis  demurely. 


MR.   BELLOWS'   CONFIDENCE.  247 

"  Yes,  they  shall,  certainly,"  said  Tony.  "  I 
would  like  to  see  it  go  on.  I  will  be  present  at 
the  sittings,  you  know,  and  liven  things  up  a  bit 
for  them  both  —  read  aloud,  or  something." 

Phyllis  gave  him  a  mischievous  glance.  "  Phi- 
lanthropist !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Still,"  she  contin- 
ued, "  even  though  Mr.  Chester  admires  Mrs.  Red- 
mond so  much  "  — 

"  Are  you  sure  he  does  ?  Oh,  you  're  mistaken. 
As  a  model,  he  does,  perhaps  ;  but  nothing  more, 
nothing  more.  Chester  's  incapable  of  it." 

"  Did  you  not  just  say,  Mr.  Bellows,  that  she 
conquers  every  one?  He  does  admire  her.  We 
often  talk  of  her :  but  it  never  occurred  to  me  be- 
fore that  he  could  think  of  proposing  to  her." 

"  Proposing  to  her !  Ha,  ha,  that  would  be  rich ! 
Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Oh.  preposterous !  " 

"  Well ! "  exclaimed  Phyllis,  in  an  offended 
tone.  "  Then  perhaps  Miss  Rebecca  was  excus- 
able in  thinking  a  proposal  from  you  would  be 
preposterous." 

"  I  ?  Oh,  that  is  a  very  different  matter.  If," 
with  another  sigh,  which  seemed  to  come  from  the 
depths  of  his  being,  —  "if  I  only  knew  how  she 
would  take  it." 

Phyllis  tossed  her  head.  "  If  I  were  a  man,  I 
would  never  risk  proposing  until  I  knew  certainly 
how  I  should  be  received.  I  have  always  thought 
so." 

"  You  have,  eh  ?  "  said  Tony,  much  interested. 
"  But  do  you  think  a  woman  ever  really  lets  a  man 


248  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

know  how  she  feels  toward  him,  that  is,  as  a  usual 
thing?  "  he  added,  qualifying  his  speech  as  the  re- 
membrance of  his  unique  experience  returned  to 
him. 

"  A  true,  noble  woman  is  always  transparently 
honest,"  announced  Phyllis  loftily. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know.  I  've  always  thought, 
'  Trust  her  not,  she  's  fooling  thee '  was  a  pretty 
straight  tip.  Perhaps  you  're  fooling  me  now. 
Say,  do  you  know  that  dress  is  awfully  becoming 
to  you  ?  " 

Phyllis's  thin  scarlet  lip  curled,  and  she  held  the 
back  of  her  neck  very  straight.  "  Shall  I  tell  you 
why  you  admire  this  dress  so  much?"  she  said 
quietly.  "  It  belonged  to  Mrs.  Redmond.  She 
gave  it  to  me." 

Tony  impulsively  seized  one  of  the  ends  of  the 
soft  gray  sash  and  carried  it  to  his  lips. 

Phyllis  flashed  her  eyes  upon  him,  brilliant  as 
two  brown  diamonds,  and  pulled  the  silk  from  his 
hands  with  sudden  energy. 

"  Kiss  Mrs.  Redmond's  clothes  upon  herself  as 
much  as  you  please.  You  shall  not  touch  them 
upon  me." 

Tony  stared  at  her  aghast.  There  was  no  mis- 
taking the  sincerity  of  her  resentment ;  and  how 
brilliantly  pretty  she  looked !  It  suddenly  dawned 
upon  him  that  the  little  country  girl  was  an  indi- 
vidual, and  not  one  who  would  take  kindly  to  the 
role  of  makeshift  to  a  love-lorn  swain.  He  re- 
viewed mentally  the  talk  with  which  he  had  so  far 


MR.   BELLOWS'    CONFIDENCE.  249 

entertained  her,  and  tersely  characterized  himself 
as  a  "  chump." 

Phyllis,  herself  surprised  by  her  unusual  access 
of  anger,  breathed  a  little  fast. 

"  There  is  Mrs.  Redmond  coming  out  of  the  gate 
to  meet  us,"  she  said  as  Elise  appeared,  arrayed  in 
white,  with  glimpses  of  lilac  here  and  there  as  she 
walked. 

The  hostess  approached  and  took  Phyllis's  hand 
cordially.  It  was  her  peculiarity,  and  one  her 
friends  soon  learned,  that  she  did  not  include  a 
kiss  in  her  greetings. 

"You  looked  like  a  dove  and  a  tropical  bird 
coming  up  the  street,"  she  said,  "  but  how  bril- 
liant and  far  from  meek  the  dove  looks !  What 
witty  sallies  have  you  employed,  Tony,  to  light  her 
up  so  successfully  ?  " 

Tony  could  not  answer.  He  felt  crushed,  and 
not  all  his  gorgeous  coloring  could  give  him  aught 
but  a  dejected  and  drooping  appearance  as  he  fol- 
lowed the  ladies  within  the  broad  gates. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

ELISE. 

WHEN  Terriss  Chester  arrived  at  Beech  Knoll, 
he  found  Miss  Redmond  only.  She  was  sitting 
on  a  gauze-inclosed  piazza,  with  a  novel  in  her 
hand. 

"You  find  me  lazily  employed,  Mr.  Chester," 
she  said,  rising  to  greet  him.  "  In  my  young  days, 
if  a  well  woman  of  my  age  had  been  discovered  in 
her  own  home  at  this  hour  reading  a  novel,  she 
would  at  least  have  had  the  grace  to  be  ashamed  of 
herself." 

"  Which  you  have  not  ?  "  asked  Chester,  shaking 
her  hand. 

"  No,  I  think  I  am  infected  with  the  vacation 
spirit  which  is  becoming  rampant  among  Ameri- 
can women  in  summer.  At  all  events,  I  find  it 
very  easy  to  drift  into  idle  habits  now.  Mrs. 
Redmond  and  her  guests  disappeared  a  little  while 
ago.  I  will  go  with  you  to  find  them,  if  you  like ; 
but  perhaps  you  are  tired  from  your  walk  ?  " 

"  Don't  humiliate  me,  Miss  Rebecca !  Tired 
from  that  walk  in  these  days  ?  " 

He  seated  himself  in  one  of  the  wicker  rocking- 
chairs  that  stood  about,  and  Miss  Redmond  looked 
at  him  critically. 


ELI8E.  251 

"  True  enough.  How  you  have  changed  !  "  she 
said. 

"  Yes,  what  a  traveling  advertisement  I  am  for 
Snowdon  !  Persons  anxious  to  dispose  of  property 
here  should  hire  me  to  show  myself  to  possible 
purchasers,  with  a  description  of  my  personal  ap- 
pearance six  weeks  ago." 

"  I  will  suggest  it  to  Mrs.  Redmond,  when  she 
becomes  tired  of  Beech  Knoll." 

"  Are  you  expecting  her  to  become  tired  of  it  ?  " 

"  I  did  think  she  would  at  first,  since  her  object 
in  coming "  —  Miss  Rebecca  stopped,  suddenly 
dismayed,  and  blushed.  "  Yes,  I  did  at  first,  but 
she  does  seem  so  perfectly  contented  that  now  I 
have  my  doubts." 

Chester  looked  at  the  speaker  curiously.  What 
an  odd  little  woman  she  was  with  her  starts  and 
her  blushes !  He  did  not  trouble  himself  to  specu- 
late long  upon  the  cause  of  her  behavior.  He 
admired  her  genuinely,  and  she  possessed  a  most 
attractive  added  charm  in  the  fact  of  being  Mrs. 
Redmond's  constant  companion.  In  sitting  thus 
with  her  on  the  quiet,  shaded  piazza,  he  enjoyed 
a  pleasure  more  distinct  than  he  could  hope  for 
while  sharing  his  hostess'  society  with  Tony  and 
Phyllis. 

"I  believe  she  cannot  become  tired  of  it,"  he 
said.  "  I  am  beginning  to  see  that  I  need  not 
hope  to  weary  of  Snowdon.  Do  you  forgive  me 
for  sitting  here  and  keeping  you  from  your 
book?" 


252  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  I  am  glad  to  have  you,"  replied  Rebecca.  She 
could  not  explain  that  her  book  was  but  a  weapon 
of  self-defense,  a  something  to  steady  and  direct 
thoughts  that  were  wayward  after  her  sleepless 
night,  —  a  night  spent  almost  wholly  in  her  pre- 
cious attic  chamber. 

"  I  ought  to  go  back  to  Boston.  I  feel  better 
than  before  my  illness.  I  was  beginning  to  look 
about  me  wildly  for  some  excuse  for  remaining 
here  which  I  could  offer  myself,  and  yet  retain 
a  little  self-respect,  when  Mrs.  Redmond  rescued 
me." 

He  smiled  at  Rebecca  with  such  a  youthful  and 
radiant  look  that  she  pitied  him.  There  is  but  one 
emotion  in  the  universe  whose  power  gives  the 
beauty  she  recognized  in  his  face.  She  regretted 
to  see  it.  Miss  Redmond  was  a  woman  who  felt 
for  all  persons  with  whom  she  came  in  contact ; 
but  she  felt  a  special  interest  in  Terriss  Chester. 
From  the  day  when  she  had  reluctantly  offered  to 
wait  upon  him  in  his  illness,  she  had  unconsciously 
been  in  an  attitude  of  defense  of  him  toward  Elise. 
She  had  an  uneasy  suspicion  of  the  latter  where  her 
adopted  brother  was  concerned.  Miss  Redmond 
had  sufficient  penetration  to  perceive  that  her  sis- 
ter's pride  had  been  wounded  by  the  failure  of  her 
plans.  She  had  never  felt  altogether  comfortable 
concerning  Elise's  motives  for  keeping  her  identity 
secret.  The  latter  was  capable  of  inflicting  a  pun- 
ishment without  realizing  its  severity.  For  some 
reason,  Rebecca  felt  an  intuitive  impulse  to  shield 
Chester  from  her. 


EL1SE.  253 

"  I  do  not  know  what  you  mean,"  she  replied. 

"  Mrs.  Redmond  is  going  to  let  me  try  to  make 
a  portrait  of  her." 

"  That  is,  after  all,  a  waste  of  time  for  you," 
answered  Rebeca  rather  brusquely. 

Chester  laughed  in  happy  amusement.  "  I  did 
not  suspect  you  would  be  unkind  enough  to  dub 
my  efforts  a  failure  in  advance." 

"  Even  if  it  succeeds,  what  is  that  to  you  ? 
Painting  is  not  your  profession." 

"  Alas,  no,"  replied  Chester  ;  but  he  still  looked 
absurdly  content.  Miss  Redmond  did  not  like  to 
see  it. 

"  It  would  be  a  pity  for  you  to  lose  some  good 
business  opportunity  by  lingering  in  Snowdon," 
she  said. 

"  Little  danger  of  that,  and  "  —  he  looked  at 
his  companion  gravely  now,  but  the  light  still 
shone  in  his  eyes — "  that  vacation  spirit  you  men- 
tioned is  an  enticing  sprite.  There  is  not  so 
much  happiness  offering  along  life's  way  that  one 
can  afford  to  turn  one's  back  upon  it  when  it 
comes." 

Rebecca  returned  his  look.  "  No  —  yet  some 
happiness,  sweet  for  a  day,  leaves  months,  years,  of 
bitterness  behind  it.  Are  you  so  especially  fond 
of  portrait-painting,  Mr.  Chester?" 

Chester  understood  her,  and  knew  that  she  un- 
derstood him.  He  believed  in  her  goodness,  and 
he  felt  her  friendliness  for  him.  He  leaned  toward 
her. 


254  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  This  particular  portrait,  yes,"  he  said  slowly ; 
"  but  you  think  I  would  do  better  to  leave  Snow- 
don?" 

"  Vastly  better,"  was  the  earnest  response.  Miss 
Redmond  might  have  been  excused  for  blushing 
now,  but  she  did  nothing  of  the  sort.  She  looked 
with  her  sweet  calm  eyes  straight  into  Chester's, 
quite  unembarrassed,  rather  relieved,  by  his  com- 
prehension. 

He  drew  a  deep  breath  and  shook  his  head.  "  I 
prefer  to  stay  and  take  the  consequences." 

"  It  is  because  you  do  not  believe  in  the  conse- 
quences, then,"  said  Rebecca.  "  Do  you  remember 
the  fairy  tale  in  which  one  prince  after  another 
travels  the  same  road  to  perform  great  deeds  and 
win  a  lovely  princess,  and  how  one  man  after  an- 
other fails  and  is  turned  into  a  black  stone  by  the 
wayside  ?  I  feel  an  interest  in  you,  Mr.  Chester, 
and  that  is  why  I  take  the  liberty  —  I  know  it  is  a 
liberty  —  of  telling  you  that  there  are  a  number 
of  black  stones  lying  beside  the  road  you  are  trav- 
eling." 

Terriss  rose  and  walked  to  the  piazza  rail.  "  Do 
you  mean  that  you  believe  her  heartless  ? "  he 
said. 

"  No.  She  has  a  warm  heart  and  a  good  one ; 
but  it  has  never  been  won.  There  was  never  any 
pretense  that  my  brother  won  it.  She  has  never 
meant  to  be  cruel  to  any  one,  but  life,  facts,  are 
cruel  sometimes." 

Chester  stood  silent  for  a  time  by  a  pillar  around 


ELISE.  255 

which  a  clematis  twined.  He  spoke  at  last,  quietly. 
"  I  thank  you,  Miss  Rebecca.  I  have  never  in  my 
life  attained  any  object  upon  which  my  heart  was 
set.  I  needed  your  words  to  remind  me  of  that, 
and  yet  they  come,  in  one  sense,  too  late.  This 
strange  experience,  which  arrives  early  with  most 
men,  has  come  to  me  now  for  the  first  time,  and  I 
fear  it  has  come  to  stay.  No,  I  am  dishonest 
when  I  say  I  fear  it.  I  am  glad  of  it  to  the  bot- 
tom of  my  soul.  It  is  the  only  thing  I  have  ever 
been  deeply  and  fervently  thankful  for.  Let  me 
live  in  paradise — -a  fool's  paradise,  of  course  — 
while  I  can ;  and,"  he  smiled  a  little  now,  "  when 
like  my  predecessors  I  am  changed  into  a  black 
stone*  you  will  have  the  consolation  of  knowing  that 
you  did  your  best  for  me." 

Rebecca  gave  him  her  kindest  look.  "  No 
power  can  change  you  into  something  dark  and 
lifeless  if  your  love  is  true,"  she  said.  "  You  will 
always  be  the  better  and  nobler  for  it.  You  know 
the  knight  did  finally  come  who  stood  all  the 
tests." 

"  And  he  won  the  lady,"  said  Chester ;  "  but 
do  not  be  uneasy.  I  know  such  hopes  are  not  for 
me." 

"  No ;  that  was  a  fairy  tale,"  sighed  Miss  Re- 
becca. 

The  soft  breath  had  scarcely  mingled  with  the 
air  when  an  apparition  of  yellow  and  crimson 
stripes  stood  before  the  piazza. 

"  Miss    Rebecca  —     Why,   there   he   is    now ! 


256  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

What 's  the  matter  with  you,  Chester  ?  "  inquired 
Tony,  much  exasperated.  "  What  did  you  sup- 
pose you  were  invited  here  for  ?  " 

"  There,  Tony,  give  me  the  privilege  of  scolding 
my  own  guest,"  aiid  Elise  came  deliberately  into 
view. 

Chester  sprang  to  open  the  piazza  door  for  her. 
"  Have  I  committed  some  awful  blunder  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  Should  think  you  had,"  returned  Tony,  too 
much  nettled  by  a  complication  of  trials  to  hold 
his  peace.  "  You  were  invited  over  here  for  a 
morning  game  of  tennis,  and  it  is  twelve  o'clock 
this  minute." 

"I  really  beg  your  pardon,  Mrs.  Redmond," 
said  Chester,  with  such  sincere  dismay  that  Elise 
laughed.  "  I  did  n't  understand  "  — 

"  Never  mind,"  returned  the  hostess.  "  We  have 
the  whole  afternoon  and  a  part  of  the  evening  be- 
fore us.  You  know  what  spending  the  day  means 
in  the  country.  '  Come  as  early  as  you  can,  and 
stay  till  after  tea !  '  " 

"  Humph  !  as  early  as  you  can,"  grumbled 
Tony.  "  Keep  three  people  waiting  for  you  all  the 
morning." 

"  Tony !  "  Elise  looked  at  him  in  smiling  won- 
der. "  What  is  the  matter  with  you  to-day  ?  Go 
this  minute  and  find  Phyllis.  She  is  practicing 
still,  and  she  will  get  a  sunstroke.  I  am  not  sure 
that  you  have  n't  one  already.  You  had  better 
cool  your  fevered  brow  iu  the  brook  as  you  pass." 


ELISE.  257 

It  was  indeed  unusual  for  Tony  to  be  so  ruffled. 
He  himself  was  not  quite  sure  what  ailed  him. 
The  morning  beginning  so  fairly  had  somehow 
been  a  complete  failure.  Mrs.  Redmond  had  pat- 
ronized and  Miss  Flower  had  ignored  him.  There 
was  tangible  consolation  in  the  fact  of  having  been 
able  to  fasten  wrong  upon  Chester,  and  in  grum- 
bling at  him  for  his  misdemeanors.  He  walked 
the  more  freely  for  it,  his  head  well  up  and  his 
gay  cap  pulled  down  to  shade  his  eyes.  Striding 
across  the  brook,  he  advanced  to  the  tennis  court, 
where  he  expected  to  find  Phyllis,  who  had  in- 
sisted upon  being  left  alone  to  get  more  accus- 
tomed to  her  racket ;  but  she  was  not  visible. 

He  stood  still  and  called  aloud.  There  were  the 
remains  of  righteous  indignation  in  his  voice. 
"  Miss  Flower !  " 

No  answer.  He  turned  about  and  looked  in  all 
directions  for  a  glimpse  of  gray  color,  but  in  vain. 

"  J/iss  Flower  !  "  There  was  a  wider  sense  of 
injury,  a  more  startling  sforzanclo  of  peremptori- 
ness  in  the  repetition. 

A  lazy  low  laugh  answered  him  from  the  other 
side  of  a  clump  of  shrubbery  a  few  feet  away. 

"  Oh ! "  said  Mr.  Bellows,  much  disconcerted, 
advancing  a  few  steps  and  beholding  Phyllis  lean- 
ing back  in  a  rustic  seat.  "  Why  did  n't  you  an- 
swer?" 

"  I  was  rendered  speechless  at  first  by  admira- 
tion of  your  lung  power." 

"  I  began  to  think  you  had  gone  home." 


258  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"If  I  had,  your  voice  would  have  reached  me, 
and  I  am  sure  I  should  not  have  dared  disobey  it. 
What  has  happened  ?  " 

"  Chester  has  come." 

"  Oh,  is  that  all  ?  Why  did  n't  you  stay  and 
guard  your  interests  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Redmond  sent  me  to  find  you." 

"  Very  well,  you  have  found  me.    Now,  good-by." 

Phyllis's  tone  was  provoking.  She  looked  ex- 
ceedingly pretty  as  she  leaned  back  in  the  high- 
backed  seat,  her  hair  in  silky  rings  on  her  damp 
forehead,  and  Tony  looked  into  her  saucy  eyes  with 
sulky  dignity. 

"  Are  n't  you  coming  ?  "  he  asked  shortly. 

"  Thank  you,  no.  I  am  not  tired  of  life.  I  won't 
risk  myself  with  you  in  your  present  mood." 

Mr.  Bellows  sat  down  upon  a  rustic  chair  under- 
neath the  same  large  maple  which  sheltered  Phyl- 
lis. 

"I  abominate  selfishness,  I  must  say,"  he  an- 
swered. 

"  Whose ;  mine,  or  your  own  ?  You  are  not  in 
the  least  agreeable  just  now.  I  do  not  want  you 
here  bluing  the  atmosphere." 

"  I  am  speaking  of  Chester,"  announced  Tony, 
with  painful  distinctness.  "  He  has  simply  spoiled 
the  morning." 

"  And  so  in  revenge  you  are  going  to  spoil  the 
afternoon  ?  "  laughed  Phyllis.  "  I  should  suppose 
you  must  be  hungry,  if  I  did  n't  know  that  lovers 
are  never  hungry.  Good-by,  Mr.  Bellows." 


ELISE.  259 

"  This  is  the  first  cool  spot  I  have  found  in  an 
hour,"  remarked  Tony,  ignoring  her  remarks  as  a 
childish  ebullition  unworthy  serious  consideration. 

"Well,  then,  if  you  won't  take  a  hint,  I  expect 
you  to  forget  for  the  time  being  that  you  are  a 
lover,  and  be  agreeable." 

"  Pretty  place,  is  n't  it  ?  "  said  Tony,  looking 
about  him  critically. 

"  Ye-es,"  replied  the  girl  hesitatingly.  "  I  will 
admit  it,  if  you  make  the  proposition  without  any 
calculation  as  to  the  future  proprietor." 

Her  tone  upset  Mr.  Bellows'  foreign  gravity. 
He  laughed  reluctantly. 

"  I  surrender,  Miss  Phyllis,"  he  said,  and  he 
suddenly  left  his  chair  and  took  the  place  beside 
her  on  the  rustic  sofa. 

"  You  were  much  better  off  where  you  were," 
suggested  Phyllis.  "  This  is  rather  narrow  for 
two." 

"Not  when  one  of  us  is  nobody's  lover,"  re- 
turned Tony  audaciously,  restored  to  his  custom- 
ary gayety  by  restoration  to  good  terms  with 
Phyllis,  whose  disfavor  he  had  been  made  to  feel 
uncomfortably. 

They  had  sat  an  hour  in  idle  summer-day  talk, 
and  the  girl  had  been  pleasantly  flattered  almost 
into  forgetfulness  of  Tony's  startling  confidence, 
when  Mrs.  Redmond  and  Terriss  Chester  inter- 
rupted their  tete-a-tete. 

"  I  would  not  let  Mr.  Chester  come  alone  lest 
he  should  be  as  unsuccessful  as  you  were,  Tony," 


260  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

explained  Elise.  "  To  think  that  you  were  unable 
single  handed  to  bring  home  one  little  girl  like 
Phyllis !  " 

She  shook  her  head  eloquently,  took  Phyllis's 
hand  and  drew  it  through  her  arm,  and  together 
they  mounted  the  slope,  followed  amicably  by  the 
two  men.  Mrs.  Redmond  was  secretly  well  pleased 
at  the  absorbed  manner  of  the  pair,  and  their  in- 
voluntary start  when  she  disturbed  them. 

Last  night  Rebecca  had  said  to  her,  the  last 
thing  before  retiring,  "  I  am  afraid  you  are  going 
to  have  trouble  with  Tony,  Elise." 

"  Trouble  with  that  infant !  "  with  scornful  in- 
credulity. 

"  It  won't  help  matters  a  bit  to  call  him  an  in- 
fant," returned  Miss  Redmond.  "  I  am  afraid 
you  will  have  to  deal  with  him,  yet." 

So  there  was  gratification  in  finding  the  young 
man  so  well  entertained  just  now.  To  do  Elise 
justice,  it  was  no  satisfaction  to  her  when  the 
princes  of  the  present  time  became  transformed 
to  dull  black  stones  for  her  sweet  sake. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE    CRASH. 

THE  dinner-table  was  laid  on  the  inclosed  piazza. 
Elise  led  her  guests  to  it  soon  after  arriving  at 
the  house.  It  was  sweet  with  Tony's  roses,  and, 
outside  the  wire  gauze,  the  vines  and  trees  em- 
bowered the  party. 

The  dinner  was  different  from  that  which  regaled 
Phyllis  on  the  occasion  of  her  last  meal  at  Beech 
Knoll.  It  was  a  man's  dinner  this  time.  She  ate 
dishes  whose  ingredients  she  could  not  even  sus- 
pect, and  wondered  at  the  familiarity  with  which 
the  others  of  the  party  discussed  them. 

It  was  a  very  gay  little  company.  Tony  looked 
often  at  Chester,  asking  himself  what  power  had 
transformed  the  sullen,  curt  man  into  the  respon- 
sive, light-hearted  being  he  beheld.  He  suspected 
the  cause,  yet  postponed  the  jealousy  which  should 
consume  him  to  a  more  convenient  and  unpleasant 
season ;  half  conscious,  too,  of  wondering  at  his 
ability  to  do  so. 

Occasionally,  Chester  caught  Rebecca's  eye,  with 
a  half  -  apologetic  look,  which  amused  her  even 
while  she  felt  more  than  ever  sorry  for  him. 

"Now,  no  tennis  for  a  few  hours,"  said  Mrs. 
Redmond,  as  they  rose  from  the  table.  She  led 


262     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

her  guests  to  the  broad  veranda  at  the  front  of  the 
house,  shaded  by  a  great  elm  which  had  been  set 
out  there  by  Miss  Rebecca's  great-grandfather. 
Tony  lit  his  cigar,  and  the  ladies  disposed  them- 
selves in  the  beribboned  chairs. 

"  This  is  a  beautiful  place,"  announced  Chester, 
his  eyes  taking  in  the  sparkle  of  the  river  half 
concealed  by  the  luxuriant  green. 

Elise  smiled.  "  Tony,  is  the  conundrum  as  to 
why  I  settled  here  answered  for  you  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  It  is  pretty.  You  will  never  stay  here  in  the 
winter,  though." 

"  O  Mrs.  Redmond !  "  exclaimed  Phyllis  appre- 
hensively. "  Tell  him  you  will." 

Elise  shook  her  head.    "  I  will  not  bind  myself." 

"  But  you  would  stay,  Miss  Rebecca  ?  "  asked  the 
girl. 

"I  am  Mrs.  Redmond's  shadow.  I  suppose  I 
should  follow  her  of  necessity,"  replied  Rebecca. 

"  Oh,  dear,"  said  Phyllis,  with  so  dismayed  an 
intonation  that  the  others  all  smiled. 

It  gave  the  girl  an  unpleasant  surprise  to  waken 
to  the  fact  of  the  blankness  that  awaited  her.  Mr. 
Chester  would  go,  never  probably  to  return.  The 
movements  of  Mrs.  Redmond  and  Miss  Rebecca 
were  dependent  simply  on  the  caprice  of  the 
former,  and,  in  the  event  of  their  departure,  of 
course  Snowdon  would  no  more  be  gilded  by  the 
presence  of  Mr.  Tony  Bellows. 

A  strange  sensation  rose  in  Phyllis  at  the  latter 
consideration. 


THE   CRASH.  263 

"  I  cannot  bear  him,"  she  thought  vehemently. 
"  What  did  he  ever  come  here  for  ?  " 

She  looked  across  at  Tony,  sitting  on  the  rail- 
ing, and  found  him  smiling  questioningly  at  her, 
his  cigar  poised  between  two  fingers. 

tk  What  is  it,  Miss  Flower?  "  he  asked.  "  You 
look  as  though  you  had  lost  your  last  friend." 

"  Mrs.  Redmond  is  my  last  friend,"  she  retorted. 
"  I  do  not  like  to  consider  losing  her." 

"Take  my  advice,"  said  Tony  sagely,  "and  set 
your  affections  on  something  more  stable.  Mrs. 
Redmond  may  be  en  route  to  China  a  month  from 
now." 

"  Don't  malign  me.  It  will  take  me  a  long 
time  to  extract  all  the  sweetness  from  Snowdon," 
remarked  the  hostess. 

The  young  fellow  looked  at  her  with  slowly 
crimsoning  earnestness.  "  Especially  since  you 
supply  it  by  your  presence  faster  than  you  can 
draw  it  away,"  he  said. 

It  was  a  point-blank  bit  of  flattery  at  best,  and 
was  delivered  with  a  dogged  determination  that 
made  it  amusing  to  the  recipient.  She  laughed 
spontaneously. 

Chester  regarded  Bellows  compassionately.  His 
erstwhile  jealousy  of  the  latter's  favored  position 
as  guest  vanished  as  he  recognized  the  touch  of 
feeling  that  made  them  kin.  Here  was  another 
candidate  for  the  doleful  procession  of  petrified 
hearts  which  marked  the  difficult  road  to  that  of 
Mrs.  Redmond. 


264  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Phyllis  blushed  more  violently  than  Tony. 
"  Silly  thing,"  she  thought,  in  a  tumult  of  resent- 
ment. "  Why  can't  he  wait  until  they  are  alone 
to  say  such  things  ?  " 

She  started  up  from  her  chair  and  ran  down  the 
steps  across  the  lawn  to  where  the  croquet  was  set 
out,  and  began  to  knock  the  balls  about.  Miss 
Redmond  rose  and  went  into  the  house. 

Tony's  face  did  not  reflect  Elise's  amusement. 
He  continued  very  red  and  grave;  his  forgotten 
cigar  paled  on  the  railing  beside  him.  Terriss 
felt  the  atmosphere  oppressive.  He  glanced  across 
at  Phyllis. 

"  I  take  that  as  a  challenge,"  he  remarked,  de- 
liberately rising  and  going  down  the  steps  to  join 
her,  leaving  the  two  together. 

"  Shall  we  go  and  play  too  ?  "  said  Elise  lightly. 

"  No,"  returned  Mr.  Bellows  shortly.  "  Did  it 
ever  occur  to  you,  Mrs.  Redmond,  that  it  is  not 
particularly  pleasant  to  me  to  be  laughed  at  and 
ridiculed  by  you  ?  " 

Elise  again  gave  her  low,  appreciative  laugh. 
"  Then  you  should  n't  put  on  grown-up  airs,  Tony. 
You  tempt  me  beyond  my  strength." 

"  Be  in  earnest  for  a  little  while,"  he  broke 
forth,  the  sullenness  disappearing  from  his  face 
and  a  look  which  Mrs.  Redmond  had  good  reason 
to  dread  taking  its  place.  "  I  "  — 

"  Yes,  yes,  you  are  right,  Tony,"  she  interrupted 
more  seriously.  "  You  are  so  good-natured  that 
you  have  spoiled  me.  Surely  you  do  not  need  con- 


THE  CRASH.  265 

solation  in  good  earnest  for  being  young,  the  most 
glorious  condition  you  have  to  be  thankful  for. 
To  be  twenty-four,  to  be  healthy,  to  have  an  in- 
come, to  be  pleasant  to  look  upon,  why,  it  is  better 
than  to  be  monarch  of  kingdoms,  you  lucky  boy 
—  man,  I  mean,  excuse  me.  Ten  years  from  now, 
you  will  like  to  be  called  boy.  Wait,  and  see. 
But  you  will  be  young  then  still,  while  I  shall  be 
a  woman  of  thirty-seven,  envying  you." 

"  Mrs.  Redmond,  listen  to  me."  Tony  was  pale 
now,  and  his  pallor  became  him. 

Elise  met  his  eyes  kindly.  u  No  more  person- 
alities," she  said  pleasantly.  "  I  like  our  friend- 
ship so  much,  and  personalities  threaten  it  so." 

He  looked  at  the  ripples  of  her  hair,  the  curve 
of  her  handsome  mouth.  The  steady  light  in 
her  eyes  turned  him  cold.  He  gazed  into  them 
wretchedly.  "  Is  there  not  one  atom  of  hope  for 
me  ?  "  he  said  simply. 

"  It  is  a  great  pity  that  you  should  have  to  ask 
me  that,  and  surely  I  need  not  answer  it  in  words. 
You  know  how  greatly  I  like  you.  Who  else  in 
the  world  would  be  in  my  house  in  the  position 
you  occupy  now  ?  There  is  only  one  sort  of  friend- 
ship I  could  have  for  the  man  whom  I  select  thus, 
and  that  is  a  very  cordial  one.  I  hope  you  will 
always  care  for  it,  Tony." 

He  was  standing  near  her,  an  excited,  set  ex- 
pression on  his  face.  As  his  averted  eyes  came 
back  and  met  hers,  she  smiled  faintly,  and  held  out 
her  hand. 


266  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

With  a  sudden  movement  he  fell  into  the  seat 
beside  her,  took  the  hand,  and  bent  his  head  over 
it. 

Mrs.  Redmond  looked  apprehensively  toward 
the  croquet  ground,  and  her  fears  were  realized. 
Terriss  Chester,  through  the  opening  made  by  the 
broad  flight  of  steps,  was  witnessing  the  rather 
suggestive  tableau  ;  but  she  did  not  withdraw  the 
hand  held  in  a  painful  grip.  Terriss  wheeled 
about  quickly,  and  looked  no  more.  There  was  a 
straining  and  reddening  of  Tony's  neck,  one  final, 
torturing  pressure  of  the  coveted  hand,  and  it  was 
released.  When  the  young  fellow  looked  up,  his 
eyes  were  moist. 

"  You  have  been  very  good  to  me,"  he  said,  in  a 
rather  choked  voice  ;  then  he  rose.  "  I  think  I 
will  go  and  take  a  walk,"  he  added  briefly. 

Elise  watched  him  as  he  swung  across  the  lawn 
down  toward  the  water.  "  What  a  nice  boy  he 
is !  "  she  thought.  "  Some  woman  will  draw  a 
prize  in  Tony  Bellows  one  of  these  days." 

She  looked  again  toward  the  croquet  ground. 
It  was  unfortunate  that  Tony's  destiny  had  led 
him  to  choose  broad  daylight  and  a  public  spot  for 
his  declaration  of  feeling.  It  was,  unusual  for 
Mrs.  Redmond  to  question  how  any  act  of  hers 
would  be  regarded  by  another ;  but  she  paid  Ches- 
ter that  compliment  now.  It  annoyed  her  that  he 
had  seen  Tony  holding  her  hand.  Since  the  con- 
versation with  him  regarding  Elise  Beckwith, 
Mrs.  Redmond  had  not  been  able  to  think  of  Mr. 


THE  CRASH.  267 

Chester  complacently.  His  unfeigned  contempt  of 
her  financial  offer,  and  the  mode  of  it,  abashed  her 
to  an  extent  which  she  assured  herself  was  unrea- 
sonable. Each  time  his  remarks  recurred  to  her 
she  grew  so  warm  that  she  was  fain  to  press  her 
hands  to  her  flushing  cheeks,  and  each  time  she 
shrank  with  stronger  dread  from  the  possibility  of 
his  learning  her  identity.  So  far,  all  had  proceeded 
quite  as  a  couple  of  months  ago  she  would  have 
said  she  desired.  He  had  come  to  Snowdon,  and 
had,  by  his  homage,  virtually  retracted  every  scorn- 
ful word  of  his  letter  to  the  minister.  He  hung 
upon  her  words  and  looks,  and  had  agreed  to  ac- 
cept her  money  in  payment  for  the  picture.  She 
could  make  that  payment  include  the  property  she 
wished  him  to  have,  could  sign  the  paper  Elise 
Beckwith  Redmond,  then  haughtily  turn  her  back 
upon  him,  and  leave  him  to  recover  from  his  sur- 
prise. He  would  probably  refuse  the  money. 
Very  good  ;  but  how  would  he  sustain  the  discov- 
ery that  he  had  been  led  as  Elise  Beckwith  pleased, 
had  been  as  wax  in  her  hands?  How  would  he 
recover  from  his  love  of  her?  Ah,  that  was  a 
question  too  easily  answered.  Elise  knew  that  the 
man  loved  her.  Now  she  was  honestly  satiated 
with  admiration.  Why  was  it  a  disagreeable  con- 
sideration to  her  that  the  shock  to  Terriss'  confi- 
dence would  surely  destroy  his  passion  for  her? 
She  had  never  before  desired  to  continue  to  inspire 
love  in  one  of  her  admirers. 

It  was  old  habit,  obstinacy,  pride,  she  told  her- 


268  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

self.  Almost  as  far  back  as  she  could  remember, 
she  had  longed  for  Terriss  Chester's  good  opinion. 
She  could  not  now  submit  willingly  to  feel  that  he 
had  a  right  to  look  down  upon  her,  that  he  did 
look  down  upon  her. 

Oh,  why  had  she  not  been  frank  in  the  begin- 
ning ?  The  deception  she  had  practiced  was  at 
best  so  undignified.  What  explanation  of  it  could 
she  give  him  when  the  time  came  ?  It  was  liable 
to  come  at  any  moment.  Her  secret  was  shared 
with  three  persons,  and  a  natural  unthinking  re- 
mark from  either  would  divulge  it.  Surely,  Elise 
thought,  her  scheme  for  punishment  of  Terriss' 
presumption  had  reacted  upon  herself  most  disa- 
greeably. The  lofty  and  calm  supremacy  of  her 
mental  bearing  had  been  jarred  daily  of  late. 
Thoughts  seized  her  at  odd  moments,  making  her 
heart  beat  and  her  cheeks  flame :  considerations 
of  the  way  her  patronage  had  affected  its  recipient ; 
of  the  way  she  had  encouraged  those  who  would 
bring  Terriss  to  Snowdon  ;  of  her  unworded  plan 
to  win  his  admiration  as  a  balm  to  her  pride. 
What  would  he  think  of  her  when  he  knew  all, 
and  considered  the  way  she  had  drawn  him  on  to 
speak  of  her  child-self,  and  his  relations  with  her 
father  ?  In  short,  Mrs.  Redmond  had  altered  to 
her  own  consciousness,  and  had  become  an  absent- 
minded,  guilty,  starting  creature,  whom  she  de- 
tested. She  counted  not  at  all  upon  the  unques- 
tioning devotion  which,  so  far,  Terriss  displayed 
toward  her.  He  was  an  upright,  honest  man, 


THE  CRASH.  269 

scornful  of  subterfuge,  disdaining  even  to  conceal 
his  love  for  her.  She  thought  the  pleasure  she 
found  in  dwelling  upon  the  look  that  came  in  his 
eyes  when  they  met  hers  arose  from  her  certainty 
that  it  would  be  short-lived ;  and  when  she  came 
to  herself,  in  the  midst  of  a  reverie,  to  find  that  she 
had  been  lost  in  enjoyment  of  this  picture,  she  drew 
herself  together  with  a  sharp  exclamation  of  sur- 
prise and  contempt  for  her  own  weakness. 

She  had  invited  him  here  to-day  in  a  spirit  of 
bravado.  She  suffered  more  from  him  absent  than 
present.  It  was  solace  to  her  wounded  pride  to 
rest  in  the  sunshine  of  his  approval,  and  to  see  his 
spirits  rise  higher  with  every  kind  word  and  look 
she  gave  him.  For  the  time  being,  the  discrowned 
queen  felt  restored  to  her  throne. 

She  sat  there  alone  on  the  piazza,  her  eyes  fol- 
lowing the  game  of  croquet,  her  thoughts  wander- 
ing sometimes  to  Tony,  whose  disappointment  she 
rated  at  about  its  real  worth  ;  but  dwelling  mostly 
upon  the  man  who,  in  all  his  varied  movements, 
sedulously  kept  his  eyes  from  seeking  the  veranda. 

At  last  both  Phyllis's  balls  had  hit  the  stake. 
Chester  threw  down  his  mallet  with  some  laughing 
remark,  and  looking  toward  the  house,  saw  that 
Elise  was  alone,  and  suggested  to  Phyllis  that  they 
should  join  her. 

The  girl  made  some  excuse,  and  Terriss  ap- 
proached alone. 

"You  found  it  pretty  warm  work,  I  imagine,  at 
this  hour,"  remarked  Mrs.  Redmond. 


270  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  I  found  I  had  too  experienced  an  opponent," 
he  replied,  coming  up  the  steps,  and  removing  his 
hat  as  he  seated  himself.  "  I  hope  you  have  par- 
doned my  late  arrival  this  morning,"  he  continued, 
after  a  pause.  "  I  was  interested  in  getting  my 
materials  in  order,  so  that,  as  soon  as  you  are 
ready  for  a  sitting,  I  may  begin  your  portrait,  — 
study,  sketch,  or  whatever  it  turns  out  to  be." 

The  flattery  in  the  speaker's  eager,  repressed 
manner  and  his  honest  eyes  was  the  sweetest  Elise 
had  ever  tasted.  Sweet,  because  shortly  to  be  for- 
feited, she  told  herself. 

She  kept  silence  a  little  to  enjoy  it.  The  fear, 
almost  grief,  that  accompanied  the  enjoyment 
might  have  taught  her  something,  had  she  been 
accustomed  to  think  that  some  time  her  own  heart 
would  be  discovered. 

A  humming-bird,  darting  beneath  the  roof  of  the 
piazza,  poised  for  a  long  moment  near  her  head, 
as  though  attracted  by  the  rose  she  had  tucked  in 
her  hair,  but  flitted  away  like  a  beam  of  light  at 
her  admiring  ejaculation. 

"  What  a  bold  midget !  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  He  is  accustomed  to  regard  roses  growing  in 
the  sunshine  as  his  own  property,"  replied  Ches- 
ter. 

She  searched  for  a  light  retort  in  vain.  "  As  to 
the  picture,"  she  said,  "  I  suppose  there  is  no  es- 
pecial hurry." 

"  Excepting  that  I  must  not  stay  here  much 
longer." 


THE   CRASH.  271 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  when  you  return  to 
the  city  ?  " 

"  Hunt  for  a  situation." 

"  How  long  will  it  take  you  ? "  asked  Elise 
naively. 

Chester  laughed.  "  Any  time  from  a  week  to  a 
few  years." 

"  Oh  !  "  she  exclaimed.  She  rebelled  against 
the  idea  of  the  uncongenial  routine  life  he  had  led 
for  so  long,  and  against  the  indefinite  continuance 
of  it. 

"As  I  am  open  to  almost  anything,  anywhere 
from  Maine  to  the  Golden  Gate,  it  ought  not  to  be 
a  matter  of  very  much  time,"  he  continued. 

"  Don't  you  care  at  all  what  you  do  ?  "  she  asked, 
rather  awed  by  the  total  lack  of  interest  in  his 
voice. 

"Very  little, — so  it  gives  me  enough  to  live 
upon." 

"  That  ought  not  to  be  the  height  of  your  ambi- 
tion," she  returned,  adopting  the  tone  of  a  mentor. 
She  felt  quite  experienced  and  superior  as  she 
spoke.  "  You  do  not  wish  to  go  drifting  about  all 
your  life,  accomplishing  nothing  but  eating,  sleep- 
ing, and  snatching  a  little  time  to  paint.  You  will 
marry,  and  "  — 

Chester  laughed  again  roughly.  "  Yes  ;  what  a 
delightful  life  a  woman  would  have  with  me !  You 
can  see  what  a  prize  I  am,  and  what  a  tempting 
offer  mine  would  be.  If  I  should  ever  become  so 
beside  myself  as  to  <r»mrnit  such  folly,  and  you 


272  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

should  hear  of  it,  I  beg  now,  being  in  my  right 
mind,  that  you  will  order  somebody  to  have  me 
shut  up  in  the  nearest  asylum." 

The  bitter,  careless  expression  again  transformed 
his  face.  His  suddenly  angry  words  raised  a  tu- 
mult in  Elise.  A  great  and  awful  light  broke 
upon  her.  As  unhesitatingly  as  he  had  repudiated 
her  money  offer  in  the  face  of  his  ambitions  and 
lifelong  desires,  so  surely  would  he,  in  spite  of 
all  love  and  longing,  repudiate  herself.  His  keen 
sense  of  failure  would  never  allow  him  to  ask 
her  life  of  a  woman  who  possessed  everything  he 
lacked.  What  but  the  word  of  the  woman  herself 
could  convince  him  that  himself  alone  outweighed 
all  the  material  superfluities  she  longed  to  bestow 
upon  him ;  and  how  could  the  woman  speak  that 
word! 

There  was  a  ringing  in  Elise' s  ears  as  the  ques- 
tioning despair  tore  its  way  through  her.  She,  the 
heiress,  the  belle,  the  beauty,  the  loftily  inaccessi- 
ble Mrs.  Redmond,  knew  in  one  appalling,  sweet 
instant,  that  her  hour  had  come.  She  herself  was 
the  woman  who  longed  to  speak  that  impossible 
word. 

Chester  did  not  turn  his  eyes  toward  her  still, 
pale  face,  and  the  silence  had  not  been  broken, 
when  Miss  Rebecca  came  to  the  door. 

"  Elise,  Elise,"  she  called  unsteadily. 

Mrs.  Redmond  looked  up.  She  saw  that  her 
sister  wore  a  street  dress  and  a  bonnet,  and  car- 
ried a  small  satchel. 


THE   CRASH.  273 

"  Mrs.  Terriss  has  sent  for  me,"  said  Rebecca. 
"  I  think  I  shall  not  be  able  to  come  home  to-night. 
Don't  be  anxious  about  me.  I  will  send  you  word 
to-morrow." 

Mrs.  Redmond  tried  to  arrange  her  disordered 
thoughts.  She  looked  vaguely  at  Rebecca,  and 
leaned  forward  in  her  chair. 

"  Do  not  disturb  yourself,"  said  Miss  Redmond 
hastily.  "  Good-by,  Mr.  Chester,"  and  she  disap- 
peared. 

Terriss  did  not  even  turn  at  her  farewell.  He 
was  looking  now  at  his  hostess,  full  and  earnestly. 
The  devil-may-care  look  in  his  face  was  replaced 
by  one  hard  to  read. 

Mrs.  Redmond's  breath  came  fast  under  the 
gaze  she  could  not  now  meet. 

"  She  called  you  Elise,"  he  said  quietly.  "  It  is 
not  a  common  name." 

Here  was  the  extremity.  Mrs.  Redmond's  heart 
leaped  into  her  throat.  She  was  so  frightened  that 
she  was  calm,  and  there  was  a  particularly  haughty 
expression  on  her  white  face.  She  did  not  speak, 
and  he  studied  her  still,  and,  searching  his  mem- 
ory, wondered  at  his  own  dullness. 

"  Are  you,"  he  said  slowly,  "  Elise  Beckwith  ?  " 

Her  face  was  that  of  a  beautiful  statue,  except 
that  her  eyes  met  his. 

"  Yes,"  she  said  distinctly. 

It  seemed  to  her  an  eternity  that  they  both  sat 
there  in  silence.  At  last  he  rose  slowly,  hat  in 
hand.  Her  eyes  drooped.  Unconsciously  she 


274     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

raised  her  chin.     Her  body  rebelled,  by  its  atti- 
tude, against  the  depths  of  her  humiliation. 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  hospitality  you  have  ex- 
tended to  me,"  he  said,  quietly  as  ever ;  then  he 
bowed  toward  her  unseeing  eyes,  and  descending 
the  steps,  went  down  the  path  and  out  of  the  gates 
of  Beech  KnolL 


CHAPTER  XXH. 

A   BITTER   CUP. 

Miss  REBECCA  had  hailed  the  first  moment 
when  she  could  with  propriety  leave  the  piazza. 
She  felt  more  than  ordinary  need  of  the  nap  it  was 
her  habit  to  take  in  the  afternoon,  so  she  sought 
her  own  room,  and  exchanging  her  organdie  gown 
for  a  dressing  sack,  lay  down  on  the  bed  and  closed 
her  eyes.  The  monster  of  wakefulness  which  had 
presided  at  her  side  all  the  previous  night  left  her 
in  peace  now.  The  breeze  rustled  through  the 
trees  outside  her  window,  and  blew  the  muslin 
curtains.  All  disturbing  thoughts  seemed  stilled 
in  the  quiet  of  the  summer  afternoon,  and  without 
waiting  to  be  coaxed,  sleep  visited  her  eyelids. 

She  dreamed  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  re- 
move the  old  bridge.  People  said  it  was  unsafe. 
Philip  Terriss  seemed  to  be  among  the  workmen 
who  were  destroying  it.  One  after  another  they 
directed  heavy  blows  at  the  supports.  Each  re- 
sounding thump  sent  a  pain  through  Rebecca's 
heart. 

"  Oh,  don't  don't !  "  she  cried.  "  What  is  it  ?  " 
she  added,  wide  awake  now,  and  aware  that  some 
one  was  knocking  loudly  at  her  door. 


276  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  It 's  me,  Miss  Rebecca,  Roxana." 

"  Come  in,  it  is  n't  locked." 

The  door  opened,  and  Mrs.  Sherritt  entered. 
"  You  were  asleep.  I  'm  sorry,"  she  said,  in  a 
hurried,  excited  manner,  foreign  to  her,  "  but  I 
knew  there  was  company  here,  so  I  came  in  the 
back  way,  and  the  girls  said  you  might  be  up  here. 
I  've  come  to  tell  you  Mr.  Terriss  is  sick.  He  's 
a  very  sick  man,  or  I  never  saw  one.  I  can't  go 
there  and  help  'tend  to  him.  Now  the  question  is, 
can  you  ?  " 

Mrs.  Sherritt  had  sat  down  in  the  nearest  chair. 
A  red  spot  showed  in  each  of  her  sallow  cheeks. 
Miss  Rebecca,  half  lying,  half  sitting  upon  the  bed, 
looked  back  at  her,  her  face  nearly  as  colorless  as 
the  pillows  that  supported  her. 

"  It  is  impossible,"  she  said.  "  You  heard  what 
Mrs.  Terriss  said  to  me  that  day." 

"  Now  you  ain't  goin'  to  mind  that  crazy  talk, 
are  you  ?  "  asked  Roxana  appealingly. 

Miss  Redmond  paused  and  seemed  to  meditate. 
After  half  a  minute,  she  spoke. 

"  There  was  some  truth  underlying  what  she  said, 
Roxana.  You  are  my  faithful  friend,  and  it  is 
necessary  you  should  understand.  Long  ago,  here 
at  Beech  Knoll  "  - 

"  Yes,  Miss  Rebecca,"  Mrs.  Sherritt  interrupted, 
her  face  coloring  to  the  very  roots  of  her  hair. 
It  was  the  most  embarrassing  moment  of  her 
life.  "  I  know  about  it.  The  first  Mrs.  Richard 
told  me." 


A   BITTER   CUP.  277 

Miss  Redmond's  eyes  brightened,  and  her  deli- 
cate lips  grew  tense.  "  Could  it  have  been  through 
you,  then,  that  Mrs.  Terriss  "  — 

"  J/?ss  Rebecca  !  "  Roxana  fairly  shouted  the 
exclamation,  and  started  to  a  standing  posture. 
"  If  any  one  thing  could  make  me  feel  worse  'n 
everythin'  else  in  this  world,  that  does." 

"  Forgive  me,"  murmured  Miss  Redmond  con- 
tritely. 

"  I  did  n't  know  her  husband  was  the  man  until 
yesterday,"  continued  Mrs.  Sherritt.  "  I  'd  forgot 
the  name,  if  I  ever  knew  it,  a  dozen  years  ago ; 
but  for  you,  Miss  Rebecca,  that  I  'd  guard  and 
defend  till  I  dropped,  —  for  you  to  accuse  me  o' 
bein'  a  Judas,  that  hurts ;  hurts  me  through  and 
through." 

"  Oh,  I  am  ashamed  Roxana,  I  am  indeed !  " 
exclaimed  Miss  Rebecca.  "  Forget  it.  If  you 
knew  all  I  have  passed  through  in  the  last  twenty- 
four  hours,  you  would  not  wonder  my  thoughts  and 
judgment  go  astray.  It  was  a  momentary,  wild 
guess.  I  spoke  too  soon." 

She  pressed  her  hands  to  her  eyes,  looking  so 
frail  and  small  in  her  white  surroundings,  that  Mrs. 
Sherritt  experienced  another  revulsion  of  feeling. 
A  glow  of  affectionate  compassion  possessed  her. 
She  came  and  sat  on  the  foot  of  the  bed,  and  pat- 
ted one  of  Miss  Redmond's  ankles  with  her  kind, 
hard  hand. 

"  That 's  all  right,"  she  said  ;  "  forgive  me  for 
botherin'  you.  I  Ve  sifted  that  business  to  the 


278  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

bottom,  and  it  seems  that  great  gump  Lucindy's 
to  blame.  Her  ma  remembered  that  Terriss  was 
the  name  o'  the  young  man  that  visited  you  in  the 
old  days,  and  some  imp  o'  darkness  put  it  into 
her  head  to  wonder  if  the  minister  might  be  the 
same  person.  She  talked  it  over  to  Luciudy,  and 
o'  course  she  had  to  tell  Mrs.  Terriss.  I  don't 
believe  Mrs.  Terriss  was  perfectly  sure  she  was 
right  when  she  said  that  shameful  thing  to  you.  I 
think  she  was  kind  o'  guessin'.  She  was  mad  be- 
cause we  kept  at  her,  and  she  wanted  to  hit  back. 
Anyway,  I  've  stopped  up  the  leak,  I  guess."  Mrs. 
Sherritt  smiled  grimly.  "  I  '11  bet  there  ain't  any- 
body that  could  get  Lucindy  Bates  or  her  mother 
to  talk  on  that  subject  to  'em  after  this.  The 
folks  in  this  town  are  fond  o'  you,  Miss  Rebecca. 
Well,"  she  added,  in  a  different  tone,  "  there 's  one 
big  bit  o'  news  I  meant  to  tell  you  as  soon  I  got 
here.  God's  ways  ain't  our  ways,  and  Mrs.  Ter- 
riss is  walkin'  around  lively.  It  puts  me  in  mind 
o'  some  o'  the  cures  we  heard  the  Chicago  fire 
made." 

"  Why,  Roxana  !  "  Miss  Rebecca  dropped  her 
hands  and  stared  at  her  informant. 

"  It 's  as  true  as  a  gun,"  said  Mrs.  Sherritt, 
nodding  cheerfully.  "  I  went  over  there  and  seen 
for  myself.  It  was  this  way.  Mr.  Terriss  was  out 
walkin'  last  night,  and  come  home  late.  He  was 
kind  o'  dazed  like,  I  guess.  At  any  rate,  he  did  n't 
come  to  his  wife's  room  to  say  good-night  as  he 
usually  does.  She  was  lyin'  awake,  a  bad  con- 


A  BITTER  CUP.  279 

science,  I  guess,  and  she  felt  bad  to  think  he  did 
n't  come  to  her,  and  then  she  noticed  how  queer  his 
steps  sounded,  goin'  upstairs  ;  most  as  if  he  'd  taken 
too  much.  Perhaps  't  was  n't  him  at  all.  She  got 
so  scared  thinkin'  it  over  she  could  n't  go  to  sleep, 
but  laid  there  guessin'  and  thinkin'  till,  just  the 
darkest,  lonesomest  time  o'  night,  she  began  to  hear 
talkin'.  She  could  n't  make  out  anythin'  except 
that  it  was  a  man's  voice,  and  it  come  from  the 
minister's  room.  She  was  pretty  well  scared,  but 
she  thought  maybe  he  had  the  nightmare.  She 
says  she  must  have  stood  it  fifteen  minutes,  and  it 
seemed  like  fifteen  hours,  before  she  rang  the  bell 
for  Lucindy.  She  's  got  a  contraption  the  minister 
fixed,  so  she  can  pull  a  string  and  ring  a  bell  at  the 
head  o'  Lucindy's  bed.  Well,  she  pulled  it,  and  she 
pulled  it,  till  Lucindy  came,  her  teeth  chatterin', 
and  her  hair  on  end.  It  seems  the  minister's 
talkin'  had  waked  her  up  too,  and  she  began  cryin' 
and  sayin'  she  was  awful  scared.  Mrs.  Terriss 
scolded  her  and  told  her  she  was  a  silly  thing,  that 
the  minister  had  the  nightmare,  and  that  she  was 
to  go  upstairs  right  off  and  wake  him  up.  Lucin- 
dy's  afraid  o'  Mrs.  Terriss,  so  she  minded  her,  and 
put  on  a  dressin'  gown  and  went  up ;  but  in  five 
minutes  she  was  down  again,  cryin'  and  takin'  on. 
She  said  Mr.  Terriss  had  n't  minded  her  knockin', 
so  she  went  in.  There  was  a  lighted  lamp  on  his 
bureau,  and  he  was  lyin'  on  the  bed  all  dressed 
but  his  coat,  his  eyes  was  open,  and  he  was  talkin' 
wild.  '  He  's  goin'  to  die,  Mrs.  Terriss,  he  's  goin' 


280  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

to  die,  sure,'  she  said,  and  boohooed  away  at  a  great 
rate.  Well,  it  was  then  the  miracle  happened  ;  or 
we  should  think  it  was  a  miracle,  if  we  did  n't 
know  what  we  know.  Mrs.  Terriss  sat  right  up 
out  on  the  edge  o'  the  bed,  and  made  Lucindy  help 
her  into  her  clothes.  '  He  's  goin'  to  die  without 
forgivin'  me,'  she  said,  and  she  said  it  over  and 
over.  She  did  n't  say  anythin'  else  only  that,  Lu- 
cindy told  me,  and  she  said  it  more  'n  twenty 
times.  Well,  she  pulled  on  her  wrapper  and 
jumped  right  up  and  made  for  the  door.  She  went 
through  the  sittin'-room  and  the  hall,  and  Lucindy 
says  it  turned  her  cold  to  see  her  catch  the  banis- 
ter and  start  upstairs.  Lucindy  kind  o'  boosted 
her  by  the  arm,  but  she  says  it 's  her  opinion  Mrs. 
Terriss  did  n't  know  she  was  there.  By  the  time 
they  got  to  the  room,  the  minister  had  stopped 
talkin',  and  he  was  asleep  and  breathm'  awful 
heavy.  Lucindy  says  Mrs.  Terriss  knelt  down 
side  of  him,  and  talked  wild  to  him.  I  would  n't 
let  her  go  on  tellin'  me  what  she  said  ;  that  kind 
o'  talk  ain't  our  business.  Well,  as  soon  as  day- 
light come,  Lucindy  went  for  the  doctor,  and  the 
middle  o'  the  mornin'  some  time,  not  over  five 
minutes  after  Phyllis  started  for  here,  she  come 
after  me.  I  went  over,  and  I  've  been  there  till 
now.  We've  got  Mr.  Terriss  fixed  down  in  his 
wife's  room,  and  he  's  got  brain  fever,  and  the  doc- 
tor don't  pretend  to  say  he  '11  get  well.  O'  course 
he  may." 

Rebecca's  breath  came  in  quick  pants. 


A  BITTER   CUP.  281 

"  Now  you  know,  after  the  other  clay,  I  would  n't 
be  the  one  to  ask  you  to  go  there  and  wear  out 
your  strength  and  feelin's,  if  Mrs.  Terriss  had  n't 
just  beseeched  of  me." 

u  Has  she  no  memory,  no  sense  of  fitness  ? " 
asked  Rebecca  excitedly.  "  How  can  she  think  1 
will  come  ?  " 

"  Well,  it 's  just  here,"  replied  Roxana  dryly. 
"  The  minister  talks  a  good  deal,  and  he  don't  talk 
about  anythin'  only  just  you  and  Beech  Knoll,  and 
the  river,  and  the  bridge,  and  the  summer  weather. 
Everythin'  he  's  kept  shut  up  for  twenty  years  is 
just  a  bubblin'  over  and  runnin'  like  a  mill  stream. 
He  's  restless  and  sufferin'  and  crazy  as  a  loon. 
Mrs.  Terriss  knows,  if  anybody  else  comes  to  nurse 
him,  this  town  won't  hold  the  gossip  and  wonder- 
ment that  '11  fill  it  from  end  to  end.  Now  do  you 
see  ?  " 

Poor  Miss  Rebecca  turned  her  head  on  the  pil- 
low and  closed  her  eyes.  Her  thoughts  all  seemed 
stunned.  Only  a  bit  from  one  of  Elise's  songs 
sang  itself  to  her  heart. 

"Oh,  that  we  two  were  sleeping  under  the  church-yard  sod, 
With  our  limbs  at  rest,  'neath  the  quiet  earth's  breast, 
And  our  souls  at  home  with  God." 

She  opened  her  eyes  at  last  and  regarded  Rox- 
ana. "  I  suppose  you  would  not  let  me  take  care 
of  your  house  and  you  go  to  the  parsonage,"  she 
said  tentatively. 

:'  Now,  Miss  Rebecca,"  replied  the  other  in  gentle 
reproach,  "  you  know  you  could  n't  milk  cows  and 
do  the  chores  I  have  to  'tend  to." 


282     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Then  I  do  not  see  that  I  have  any  alternative, 
do  you  ?  "  asked  Miss  Redmond. 

Roxana  smiled,  and  waited,  and  watched  her. 

In  a  minute,  Rebecca  rose  from  the  bed. 

"  I  '11  pack  your  bag  for  you,"  said  Mrs.  Sherritt, 
immediately  restored  to  briskness.  "  We  hain't 
any  time  to  lose."  Miss  Redmond  produced  the 
satchel  from  the  closet,  and  her  neighbor  proceeded 
to  fill  it  while  Rebecca  dressed.  "  Just  tide  'em 
over  till  the  craziest  of  it  has  passed,"  continued 
Roxana  energetically.  "  Mrs.  Terriss  is  weak  and 
not  much  use,  but  I  '11  be  there  all  I  can,  and 
Lucindy  's  so  stupid  and  so  scared  it  '11  be  safe 
enough  to  have  her  around." 

Miss  Redmond  said  her  brief  farewell  to  Elise, 
and  then  they  set  forth.  Rebecca  dreaded  so  to 
arrive  that  the  walk  had  never  seemed  so  short. 
However  Mrs.  Terriss  might  force  herself  to  ap- 
pear, how  could  she  feel  otherwise  than  hardly 
toward  her  rival  ?  The  prospect  of  being  shut  up 
with  her  to  listen  to  Philip's  wild  talk  was  as  pain- 
ful a  one  as  could  be  offered  to  Miss  Rebecca,  but 
she  had  the  heart  of  a  heroine,  and  she  advanced 
to  meet  her  fate,  outwardly  calm. 

When  they  reached  the  parsonage,  Roxana 
opened  the  front  door  noiselessly  and  went  in. 
Miss  Redmond  followed,  her  heart  beating  almost 
to  suffocation. 

Roxana  went  down  the  corridor  and  opened  the 
door  into  Mrs.  Terriss'  sitting-room.  The  invalid 
chair  stood  empty  in  the  window,  and  Mrs.  Terriss 


A  BITTER   CUP.  283 

was  lying  on  the  lounge,  her  face  ghastly  pale  and 
her  eyes  closed.  Mrs.  Sherritt  put  a  warning  fin- 
ger on  her  lips  and  turned  to  Miss  Redmond,  but 
at  that  moment  the  minister's  wife  opened  her 
eyes  and  saw  the  arrivals. 

With  one  determined  effort  she  drew  herself 
into  a  sitting  posture  on  the  side  of  the  lounge  and 
tried  to  stand,  but  fell  back  in  weakness.  She  cast 
a  dry-eyed,  appealing  gaze  at  Rebecca,  and  held  out 
both  her  hands. 

Miss  Redmond  glided  across  the  room,  took  the 
hands,  and  seated  herself  beside  her.  Roxana  dis- 
appeared into  the  bedroom. 

Mrs.  Terriss  spoke  in  a  low,  level  voice. 

"  No  words  can  tell  you  how  I  appreciate  this 
goodness  of  yours,"  she  said.  "  You  forgive  my 
misjudgment,  my  wicked  speech  ?  " 

"Fully.  Never  speak  of  it  again,"  said  Re- 
becca. 

"  It  hurt  —  it  hurt  his  feelings,"  continued  the 
wretched  woman,  speaking  with  dry  lips,  "  more 
deeply  than  one  could  imagine.  It  was  that,  hap- 
pening to  come  when  he  was  on  the  eve  of  breaking 
down  with  illness,  which  makes  him  talk  wildly  now 
of  you  and  your  home,  —  for  he  does,"  she  added 
explanatorily,  still  fixing  Rebecca  with  that  wild 
appeal.  "  I  sent  for  you  to  prevent  scandal.  Peo- 
ple might  think  his  raving  meant  something  seri- 
ous ;  but  you  know,  you  know  what  a  husband  he 
has  been.  You  know  how  he  loves  me." 

"  I  know,"  said  Rebecca,  with  solemn  earnest- 


284  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

ness,  "  that  few  women  in  all  the  world  are  given 
such  devotion  as  has  come  to  you." 

Mrs.  Terriss  pressed  the  hands  she  held  ex- 
citedly. 

"  It  has  been  my  temptation,"  she  continued 
feverishly.  "  He  was  not  a  demonstrative  man, 
only  so  true,  and  deep,  and  faithful.  I  found  that 
when  I  was  weakest,  most  needy,  he  showed  most 
his  love  for  me.  I  was  frail  from  girlhood.  I 
craved  expressions  of  my  husband's  love.  I  longed 
always  to  be  in  his  mind,  under  his  care.  I  al- 
lowed myself  to  become  more  and  more  of  an  in- 
valid, because  dependence  brought  me  happiness. 
Do  you  see  ?  I  did  not  see  it  myself  until  to-day 
—  to-day,"  she  repeated  with  a  dry  sob,  "  this 
wretched  day.  I  walked  in  the  night,"  she  con- 
tinued, concentrating  her  despairing  eyes  again  on 
Rebecca.  "  I  walked  ;  I  went  upstairs.  My  spirit 
must  go,  so  my  body  had  to  follow.  If  he  needed 
me  now,  I  could  go  in  there  to  him,  but  I  am  so 
wreak  —  weak.  I  only  quake  and  tremble  when  I 
try  to  rise.  I  "  — 

"  You  have  said  enough  now,"  interrupted  Re- 
becca quietly.  "  It  is  only  a  waste  of  your  strength. 
This  is  the  beginning  of  a  new  life  for  you.  The 
scales  have  fallen  from  your  eyes,  and  you  will  no 
longer  seek  your  happiness  selfishly." 

"  No,  no,"  murmured  the  other,  "  and  you  will 
stay  with  us.  You  are  so  strong,  and  firm,  and 
wise.  You  and  the  doctor  will  save  him.  I  will 
spend  the  rest  of  my  life  for  him.  He  shall  be  the 


A  BITTER  CUP.  285 

one  to  receive,  and  I  to  give.  We  will  be  so  happy, 
so  happy !  Give  me  your  arm.  I  must  go  in  there 
with  you  at  first." 

Rebecca  did  not  contradict  her.  She  thought  it 
best  to  let  her  try  her  powers  as  far  as  she  felt 
inclined. 

Mrs.  Terriss  rose  slowly  and  tremblingly,  leaning 
heavily  on  the  smaller  woman,  and  then  walked 
with  unexpected  firmness  to  the  bedroom  door. 

They  went  in,  and  the  dim  light  revealed  the  face 
on  the  pillow.  The  lips  were  repeatedly  framing 
the  one  word,  "  Rebecca,  Rebecca." 

Mrs.  Terriss  bent  over  the  sufferer.  He  looked 
at  her,  then  turned  his  head  wearily  away,  without 
stopping  his  murmured  appeal. 

Miss  Redmond,  obeying  the  motion  of  Mrs.  Ter- 
riss' hand,  took  up  a  position  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  bed.  The  minister's  eyes  fell  upon  her. 
His  voice  died  away. 

"  White,"  he  said  at  last.  "  Your  hair  is  white. 
Why  did  you  change  it  ?  I  will  stay  here  by  the 
river.  I  can  rest  better.  Beech  Knoll  and  happi- 
ness. All  outside  is  misery." 

Mrs.  Terriss  fixed  her  miserable  eyes  on  Re- 
becca's. 

"  You  see  how  it  would  sound  to  any  one  else,  — 
to  one  who  did  not  understand,"  she  said. 

A  strength  not  her  own  came  to  Rebecca's  flut- 
tering, shrinking  soul. 

"  I  see,"  she  answered,  with  a  calmness  that 
amazed  herself.  "  While  this  fancy  lasts,  I  will 
stay  with  you." 


286  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

The  sick  man  never  removed  his  eyes  from  her 
face.  "  We  did  right,"  he  said.  "  I  suppose  we 
did.  I  can't  think  any  more.  You  will  have  to 
do  the  thinking,  Rebecca.  It  is  all  life,  and  life 
means  endurance." 

Roxana  drew  closer  to  the  door  toward  which 
she  had  moved. 

"  Take  Mrs.  Terriss,"  said  Miss  Redmond  to 
her,  "  and  make  her  comfortable  on  the  lounge. 
There  is  need  but  for  one  of  us  here  at  a  time." 

Mrs.  Terriss  suffered  herself  to  be  led  out. 

"  This  is  embarrassing  for  Miss  Rebecca,"  she 
said,  as  Roxana  helped  her  down  upon  her  pillow. 
"  I  appreciate  her  goodness  in  coming." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  swallowed  the  lump  that  had  risen 
in  her  throat. 

"  I  'm  real  glad  you  do,"  she  said  kindly. 

"  Did  you  notice  what  a  strange  caprice  Mr. 
Terriss  showed  in  turning  from  me  and  staring  so 
at  her  ?  It  seemed  to  give  point  to  his  ravings." 
Mrs.  Terriss  tried  to  smile  as  she  asked  the  ques- 
tion. 

"  Just  what  folks  out  o'  their  heads  '11  do,"  re- 
plied Roxana  recklessly  ;  "  turn  against  their  best 
friends  every  time." 

"  Truly  ?  "  asked  the  other  eagerly. 

"  Oh,  you  can  count  on  it  every  time,"  replied 
Mrs.  Sherritt  emphatically.  "  Now  you  do  as 
Miss  Rebecca  does,  and  consider  his  talk  just  like 
the  wind  that  blows ;  and  when  he'  gets  his  senses, 
don't  never  tell  him  of  it,  'cause  it  would  make  him 


A  BITTER  CUP.  287 

feel  flatter  'n  a  flounder.  I  'm  goin'  to  pull  these 
shades  down,  and  do  you  shut  your  eyes  up  and  go 
off  to  sleep.  The  doctor  won't  be  here  for  an  hour 
yet,  and  you  '11  get  a  good  nap.  You  keep  up 
your  strength,  and  you  '11  be  able  to  spell  Miss  Re- 
becca a  good  deal.  I  shall  keep  one  hand  in  my 
house  and  one  hand  here,  as  it  were.  Good-by, 
Mrs.  Terriss.  We  '11  live  to  laugh  at  this.  Good- 

V 

She  gave  a  smiling  nod  and  passed  out  of  the 
room  and  out  of  the  house,  but  on  the  steps  a 
great  sob  overcame  her.  She  ran  down  into  the 
yard  and  around  the  side  of  the  house,  and  there 
had  the  heartiest  cry  she  had  indulged  in  for  years. 
She  did  it  thoroughly,  and  finished  it,  before  march- 
ing out  of  the  gate  and  down  the  street.  Not 
another  tear  fell,  although  neither  that  night,  nor 
for  many  nights  to  come,  was  she  able  to  put  out 
of  her  mind  that  picture  of  the  wife  that  was  and 
the  wife  that  might  have  been,  gazing  with  miser- 
able eyes  across  the  prostrate  figure  that  divided 
them. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE   EARLY   TRAIN. 

SOMEWHERE  along  the  banks  of  the  cool  river, 
the  rejected  suitor  found  means  to  drown  his  mor- 
tification and  excitement ;  for  when  he  returned  to 
the  house,  he  was  the  Tony  of  old,  the  feverishness 
that  had  marked  his  manner  all  through  this  visit 
having  disappeared.  Had  Mrs.  Redmond  accepted 
him,  he  would  have  been  a  proud  and  elated  man. 
He  had  for  a  long  time  been  carrying  a  glorified 
picture  of  her  in  his  mind,  and  had  built  castles 
in  the  air  innumerable,  in  each  one  of  which  she 
was  to  reign  beside  him  ;  but  her  manner,  even 
more  than  her  words,  in  their  recent  interview,  had 
contributed  to  guard  the  sensitive  pride  belonging 
to  his  youth,  and  he  was  nearly  as  proud  of  her 
distinguished  friendship  as  he  was  of  having  dared 
to  ask  her  for  something  more. 

When  he  ascended  the  slope  leading  toward  the 
house,  he  perceived  Mrs.  Redmond  still  sitting  as 
he  had  left  her,  alone.  Chester  and  Phyllis  had 
disappeared. 

It  was  an  embarrassing  moment  to  him,  but  he 
put  a  bold  face  upon  it.  He  thought  it  a  little  un- 
like Elise  that  she  did  not  help  him  out  by  accost- 
ing him  as  he  approached. 


THE  EARLY  TRAIN.  289 

1 '  How  soon  is  that  long-expected  game  of  tennis 
coming  off  ?  "  he  asked,  coming  up  the  steps,  then 
was  startled  to  observe  the  pallid  change  on  his 
hostess'  face. 

"  It  will  not  come  off,"  replied  Elise,  palely 
smiling.  "  All  sorts  of  things  have  been  happen- 
ing in  your  absence.  I  have  grown  suddenly  and 
miserably  ill,  unheard  of  for  me,  you  know ;  Re- 
becca has  been  sent  for  post-haste  to  the  minis- 
ter's, and  has  gone  ;  Mr.  Chester  has  departed  ;  and 
last  but  not  least,  Phyllis  is  lost.  I  was  just  wish- 
ing you  would  appear  and  take  charge  of  her  fo^ 
me." 

"Of  course  I  will,"  replied  Tony,  much  dis- 
turbed. "  Don't  you  want  a  doctor  ?  Let  me  go 
right  off  for  one." 

"  No,  no  indeed.  This  is  some  passing  annoy- 
ance." 

'*  At  least  you  will  go  into  the  house.  I  do  not 
want  to  frighten  you,  but  really  you  frightened  me 
when  I  came  up  just  now." 

"  If  it  were  not  for  Phyllis,  I  think  I  should 
disappear  indefinitely.  You  see  how  I  treat  you, 
Tony  ;  I  might  even  leave  you  to  a  solitary  tea,  if  I 
do  not  feel  better." 

"  By  all  means.  You  must  think  no  more  about 
me  than  if  I  did  not  exist.  As  for  Miss  Flower,  I 
promise  to  make  everything  right  with  her.  Now 
please  leave  it  all  to  me  and  go  in  at  once." 

Mrs.  Redmond  looked  gratefully  into  his  face, 
full  of  kindly  intention  and  concern  for  her. 


290  TEE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"You  are  very  good,"  she  said,  rising,  and  at 
that  moment  Phyllis  appeared  around  the  corner 
of  the  house  —  Phyllis,  with  a  hotly  beating  little 
heart  and  an  insouciant  face,  deciding  that  she 
could  not  have  chosen  a  less  opportune  moment 
for  her  return,  for  Tony  was  tenderly  supporting 
Mrs.  Redmond's  arm  as  she  rose  from  her  low 
chair. 

"  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come,"  said  the  latter. 

"  Why  ?  Are  you  ready  for  tennis  ?  I  have 
been  to  the  stable  ;  startling  confession,  is  n't  it  ? 
but  I  wanted  to  see  Star."  - 

She  looked  closely  at  Elise  as  she  spoke,  observ- 
ing her  pallor  and  putting  her  own  construction 
upon  it. 

"I  am  ashamed  to  say  I  am  obliged  to  excuse 
myself,"  replied  Mrs.  Redmond.  "  I  do  not  feel 
up  to  tennis  this  afternoon." 

"  You  do  not  look  up  to  it,"  said  the  girJ 
promptly.  "  I  think  Mr.  Chester  and  I  had  bet- 
ter leave  you  to  rest.  Where  is  he  ?  " 

"  He  is  already  gone.  He  went  some  time 
since." 

Phyllis's  eyes  sparkled  angrily.  "  Then  it  waf* 
very  rude  of  him,"  she  said.  "He  might  have 
waited  for  me." 

"  I  am  so  annoyed  at  everything,"  said  Mrs. 
Redmond  hurriedly.  "  I  hope  you  will  pardon  it 
that  our  day  has  turned  out  so  badly." 

"  If  Chester  had  waited,  I  should  not  have  had 
the  opportunity  to  walk  home  with  you,"  remarked 
Tony. 


THE  EARLY  TRAIN.  291 

"  Thanks,"  returned  Phyllis  airily.  "  I  would 
ever  so  much  rather  you  would  n't.  Don't  men- 
tion my  disappointment,  Mrs.  Redmond,  and  do 
not  wait.  I  am  sure  you  need  to  lie  down." 

"  Yes,  say  good-by  and  go  right  in,  Elise,"  added 
Tony.  It  startled  Phyllis  in  spite  of  herself  to 
hear  him  use  the  familiar  name.  "  I  will  prom- 
ise to  place  Miss  Flower  safe  in  Mrs.  Sherritt's 
arms." 

Phyllis  rebelled  inwardly,  but  controlled  her- 
self. She  too  had  seen  the  tableau  presented 
awhile  back  on  the  piazza.  If,  as  appeared  now 
to  be  the  case,  Mr.  Bellows  was  Mrs.  Redmond's 
accepted  lover,  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  rebuff 
him ;  so  she  made  her  farewells  and  started  down 
the  avenue,  leaving  Tony  to  decide  for  himself 
whether  to  follow  her. 

He  soon  made  his  appearance.  "  Why  should  n't 
we  have  one  game  before  you  go  ?  "  he  suggested, 
as  he  fell  into  her  quick  step. 

"  Please  excuse  me,"  said  Phyllis.  "  I  feel  lazy 
this  afternoon." 

"  And  so  do  I,"  returned  Tony.  "  Have  you 
noticed,  Miss  Flower,"  with  lively  interest,  "  how 
apt  we  are  to  feel  alike  about  things  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  say  I  have,"  returned  Phyllis,  walk- 
ing with  such  conscious  swiftness  that  she  was  dis- 
tinctly annoyed  by  the  fact  that  her  companion 
kept  abreast  of  her  without  effort. 

"  Why,  I  have  noticed  it  from  the  first.  Sin« 
guiar  you  have  n't,  he  continued  cheerfully. 


292  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

No  reply  from  Miss  Flower. 

"  There  is  one  difference  between  us,  I  '11  admit,** 
said  Tony ;  "you  are  very  moody." 

Phyllis  laughed,  and  then  grew  instantly  grave. 

"  I  have  n't  asked  to  be  analyzed,  you  know,  Mr. 
Bellows,  and  as  to  that,  I  'm  sure  you  've  been  in 
forty  different  moods  to-day." 

"  Well,  which  one  did  you  like  best  ? "  asked 
Tony  innocently.  "  I  Ve  shown  you  all  shades, 
from  the  conceited  ass  of  this  morning  to  the 
present  specimen  of  meek  good  nature,  who  is 
suiting  himself  to  your  breakneck  .speed  without 
a  murmur,  in  spite  of  the  condition  of  the  ther- 
mometer." 

"  Oh,  excuse  me,"  said  Phyllis,  a  little  discon- 
certed, suddenly  moderating  her  pace.  "  I  had  no 
idea  I  was  tiring  you,"  she  added  loftily. 

"  I  am  a  more  fragile  flower  than  you  think, 
while  you  —  you  are  " 

"  Be  careful,"  intei-rupted  the  girl.  "  If  you 
were  meditating  a  pun  on  my  name,  let  me  warn 
you  that  our  acquaintance  is  at  an  end." 

"Then  I  wasn't.  I  never  thought  of  such  a 
thing.  It  would  never  do  to  forfeit  your  acquaint- 
ance at  a  time  when  I  may  become  totally  depend- 
ent upon  you.  Mrs.  Redmond  really  looks  to  me 
as  if  she  were  going  to  have  an  illness." 

"  And  do  you  think  I  will  take  care  of  you  for 
her  ?  You  seem  to  have  returned  to  that  morning 
mood  which  you  just  described  so  aptly.  I  trust 
Mrs.  Redmond  is  not  going  to  be  ill,  and  I  do  not 
think  she  will  be.  She  is  very  strong." 


THE  EARLY  TRAIN,  293 

"  Yes,  she  is  strong,"  said  Tony  meditatively ; 
"  strong  and  —  well,  she  is  Mrs.  Redmond,  that  is 
all." 

"  Very  sensible  of  you,"  observed  Phyllis,  "  to 
use  a  form  of  flattery  which  no  one  can  disagree 
with." 

"  I  hope  you  are  not  annoyed  with  her,"  said 
Tony  quickly.  "You  could  not  doubt  that  her 
indisposition  was  real." 

"  You  are  really  too  foolish,"  returned  Phyllis 
impatiently.  "  What  a  spectacle  I  should  make 
of  myself,  annoyed  with  Mrs.  Redmond  !  " 

"  I  think  there  must  be  illness  in  town,"  said 
Tony.  "  Miss  Rebecca  has  been  called  away  to 
somebody.  It  is  rather  forlorn  for  Mrs.  Red- 
mond." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Phyllis  stiffly.  "  You  must  let 
me  know  to-morrow,  if  she  is  not  better." 

In  vain  Tony  tried  to  change  Miss  Flower's  re- 
lentless mood.  When  they  reached  her  door,  he 
was  still  without  the  shell  of  reserve  in  which  she 
had  incased  herself. 

"  It  is  n't  my  fault  that  Chester  went  off  in  his 
usual  absent-minded  fashion  this  afternoon,  in- 
stead of  waiting  for  you,"  he  observed,  standing  a 
moment  at  the  gate.  "  If  my  insistence  upon  walk- 
ing home  with  you  has  really  annoyed  you,  I  beg 
your  pardon." 

He  gazed  at  her  with  open  reproach  as  he  spoke. 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  in  the  least  vexed  with  Mr. 
Chester,"  returned  Phyllis  airily  ;  "  and  of  course, 


294  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you.  How  much  longer 
do  you  remain  in  Snowdon  ?  " 

"  That  depends  on  Mrs.  Redmond.  If  she  is 
not  well,  I  shall  relieve  her  of  the  care  of  me." 

"Well,  then,"  replied  Phyllis,  with  a  super- 
cheerful  smile,  "  I  will  say  good-by,"  holding  out 
her  hand.  "  I  may  not  see  you  again  for  ever  so 
long,  I  suppose." 

"  Oh,  I  see,"  he  said,  a  light  breaking  over  his 
face.  "  You  never  invite  anybody  to  call.  I  was 
on  the  point  of  feeling  hurt.  Still,  a  man  might 
come  at  his  own*risk." 

"  The  risk  is  great,"  returned  Phyllis.  "  I  do 
not  advise  him  to  come." 

Tony  turned  away,  considerably  piqued.  Phyl- 
lis, after  her  good-by,  went  up  the  walk,  humming 
a  tune,  stopped  to  pick  an  unusually  white  pansy, 
then  entered  the  house  and  ran  up  to  her  own 
room.  There  the  song  ceased,  the  pansy  dropped 
to  the  floor,  and  the  girl  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands  and  burst  into  tears. 

With  every  sob  she  asked  herself  why  she  was 
crying.  She  did  not  know ;  and  no  amount  of 
self-catechising  could  elicit  an  answer  ;  so  she  fin- 
ished the  foolish  performance  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  tried,  with  cold  water,  to  make  herself  pre- 
sentable to  Roxana's  observant  eyes. 

As  it  happened,  however,  those  eyes  of  Roxana's 
were  in  a  more  noticeable  condition  than  Phyllis's 
own,  when  the  latter  went  downstairs  to  set  the 
table  for  tea.  Phyllis  started  at  sight  of  the  house- 


THE  EARLY   TRAIN.  295 

keeper,  with  a  stronger  impression  than  ever  of  the 
world's  topsy-turvy  condition. 

"  Roxaua,  why  Roxana,  you  have  been  crying !  " 
she  exclaimed  involuntarily. 

"  Yes,  I  have,"  returned  Mrs.  Sherritt  without 
looking  up.  "  Mr.  Terriss  is  at  death's  door, 
Phyllis." 

"Oh,  no!" 

"  Indeed  he  is,  and  as  for  sparin'  that  good  man 
after  Dr.  Joy,  there  ain't  any  way  o'  reconcilin' 
ourselves  to  it  that  I  see.  Seem  's  if  we  needed  to 
remember  all  the  teachin'  that  Dr.  Joy  ever  gave 
us.  '  Keep  up  your  spirits,'  he  used  to  say  to  me, 
time  and  again.  '  Every  bit  o'  cheerfulness  we 
show  helps  other  folks  to  be  good-natured  ; '  and 
he  made  me  promise  once,  that  if  he  died  before 
you  did,  you  shouldn't  be  dressed  in  mournin'. 
He  said  you  could  n't  live  bright  and  happy  as 
you  ought  to  be  if  you  was  dressed  in  crape.  I 
declare,  I  hope  it  ain't  wicked  to  wish  he  was  here 
now  to  pull  Mr.  Terriss  through  this.  I  've  minded 
him  about  the  crape,  but  as  for  bein'  bright  and 
happy  such  times  as  these ! "  Roxana  made  a 
hopeless  gesture. 

Phyllis  shook  her  head  and  began  setting  the 
table.  "Oh,  let  us  hope!  Surely  everything 
won't  go  wrong,"  she  said.  A  couple  of  hours 
later,  she  grew  less  sanguine.  It  was  a  blow,  both 
to  her  and  to  Mrs.  Sherritt,  when  Mr.  Chester 
announced  to  them  that  he  must  leave  Snowdon 
the  following  morning.  Roxana  had  confidently 


296  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

counted  on  another  month  of  those  convenient 
weekly  payments.  Phyllis  thought  nothing  about 
the  loss  of  income,  but  his  going  meant  much  to 
her.  She  had  never  seen  him  so  grave  and  silent 
since  his  recovery.  She  put  two  and  two  together, 
with  a  conviction  of  the  truth.  Now  she  thought 

o 

she  understood  why  he  had  forgotten  her  in  a  hasty 
exit  from  Beech  Knoll.  He  met  her  in  the  hall 
that  night,  as  she  was  going  to  her  room,  and  held 
out  his  hand.  "  I  thank  you  very  much,  Miss 
Phyllis,  for  all  the  kindness  you  have  shown  me. 
I  shall  never  forget  the  trouble  you  and  Mrs.  Sher- 
ritt  have  taken  for  me." 

"  If  I  have  takeu  any  trouble  for  you,  I  am  en- 
tirely unconscious  of  it,"  she  returned  seriously. 
"  I  am  very,  very  sorry  you  are  going.  Why  do 
you  go  when  your  cousin  is  so  ill?  " 

He  returned  her  gaze  uneasily.  "  I  know  it 
looks  unfeeling,"  he  returned,  after  a  moment's 
hesitation.  "  I  reconsidered  a  little  when  Mrs. 
Sherritt  first  told  me  ;  but  what  can  I  do  for  him  ? 
Nothing.  And  I  cannot  stay  here.  It  has  be- 
come impossible." 

Phyllis  caught  his  eye,  and  flushed  in.  her  ear- 
nestness. "  I  am  so  sorry,  so  sorry,"  she  said  im- 
pulsively. "  You  should  have  been  the  one  to 
succeed,  not  Mr.  Bellows." 

Her  color  was  reflected  in  the  dark  face  looking 
back  at  her.  "  Thank  heaven,  I  was  not  such  a 
fool  as  to  try  for  success,"  he  returned.  "  So  Bel- 
lows succeeded,  did  he?  I  thought  otherwise. 
Well,  so  be  it.  It  is  all  one  to  me." 


THE  EARLY  TRAIN.  297 

"  But  it  is  not  to  me,"  said  the  girl  hotly.  "  It 
is  a  very  unwelcome  thought.  He  is  intensely  dis- 
agreeable to  me,  and  not  worthy  of  her  at  all." 

"  A  man  is  worthy  of  all  he  can  win,  Miss  Phyl- 
lis, and  Tony  is  a  good  fellow,"  returned  Chester 
shortly. 

All  the  same,  the  next  morning  when  he  arrived 
at  the  depot  barely  in  time  to  catch  the  out-moving 
train,  it  was  a  disagreeable  surprise  to  him,  on 
opening  the  car  door,  to  come  face  to  face  with 
Tony  Bellows,  and  to  perceive  instantly  that  the 
only  unoccupied  seat  in  the  car  was  by  his  side. 

"  What,  you  going  in  ? "  exclaimed  the  young 
fellow  pleasantly.  Chester  hesitated,  but  there 
was  no  reason  why  he  should  refuse  the  place 
which  his  friend's  hospitable  hitch  toward  the  wall 
made  larger  for  him. 

"  Yes.  I  thought  I  'd  go  this  morning,"  said 
Terriss,  taking  the  seat.  "  I  did  n't  expect  to  see 
you,  though." 

"  Mrs.  Redmond  is  a  trifle  under  the  weather, 
and  so  I  thought  I  would  relieve  her  of  me,  as 
Miss  Rebecca  is  away." 

"  H'm.  Sorry  to  hear  it,"  mumbled  Chester, 
stopping  the  passing  news-agent  and  buying  a 
"  Herald." 

Tony,  his  transparent  face  betraying  his  disap- 
pointment at  this  unsocial  proceeding,  reluctantly 
followed  his  example. 

"  Yes,  I  took  tea  in  solitary  state  last  night,  and 
after  roving  about  the  piazzas,  and  reading,  and 


298  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

frightening  the  owls  with  my  improvisations  on  the 
piano,  I  became  so  thoroughly  tired  of  myself  that 
I  determined,  if  Mrs.  Redmond  continued  invisi- 
ble this  morning,  to  take  the  first  train.  She  did, 
and  here  I  am." 

"Ye-es?"  returned  Chester  abstractedly,  run- 
ning his  eye  over  the  headlines  of  the  paper  he  had 
unfolded. 

"  Did  you  —  ah  —  leave  all  well  at  your  abid- 
ing-place ?  "  inquired  Tony. 

"What?     Oh,  yes,  — yes." 

"  When  are  you  going  back  ?  " 

"  Never  —  that  I  know  of." 

"  What  ?     You  've  left  for  good  ?  " 

"Yes.  I  have  accomplished  what  I  went  for, 
why  not  ?  " 

Although  apparently  Chester  was  scanning  the 
printed  page  busily  as  ever,  he  was  wondering  at 
the  carelessness  with  which  his  friend  could  leave 
his  fiancee's  home  on  the  score  of  ennui.  The 
blood  pulsed  faster  through  his  veins  at  the  thought 
of  that  quiet  house,  the  sunlight  sifting  through 
the  beeches  on  the  lawn ;  the  murmurous  flow  of 
the  river,  and  the  privilege  owned  by  the  man  be- 
side him  of  lingering  about  the  enchanted  spot, 
sure  of  a  welcome  from  the  lady  of  his  heart  when 
she  should  appear.  He  himself  would  never  see 
that  paradise  again.  It  exasperated  him  to  the 
verge  of  outbreak  that  the  unconscious  Tony  should 
sit  with  folded  paper  in  his  lap,  and  drum  upon  the 
window-sash  with  his  finders. 


THE  EARLY   TRAIN.  299 

"  Miss  Flower  is  an  odd  combination,"  remarked 
the  latter  at  last,  with  the  air  of  a  connoisseur.  "  I 
do  not  know  that  I  like  her  altogether." 

"  She  has  the  advantage  of  you  there,"  returned 
Chester  grimly.  "  She  does  know  that  she  does  n't 
like  you  altogether." 

"  Indeed !  "  ejaculated  Tony.  He  unfolded  his 
paper  now  with  some  energy,  and  the  fi-owning 
eagerness  with  which  he  interrogated  its  contents 
rivaled  Chester's  own. 

The  latter  had  cause  to  congratulate  himself  on 
the  effect  of  his  bluntness,  for  he  was  disturbed  no 
more  until  Boston  was  reached,  and  might  think 
or  read  to  his  heart's  content ;  but  the  combined 
skill  of  the  news-gatherers  was  thrown  away  upon 
one  Bostonian  that  morning.  The  whole  current 
of  Mr.  Bellows'  thought  was  changed.  More  baf- 
fling and  exciting  than  any  political  situation  to 
him  was  the  question  why  Phyllis  Flower  should 
not  like  him.  She  was  an  obscure,  unfashionable 
blossom,  while  he,  although  all  varieties  of  conceit 
and  vanity  were  abominations  to  him,  was  forced 
upon  consideration  to  acknowledge  himself  a  cos- 
mopolitan charmer.  Tony  enjoyed  being  liked. 
He  always  had  been  liked.  It  gave  him  a  sense 
of  soreness  to  recall  Phyllis's  silky  rings  of  hair, 
and  her  wide-open,  brown  eyes,  and  to  know  from 
an  uncivil  but  impartial  third  party  that  she  did 
not  like  him.  He  wished  she  knew  how  well  he 
danced.  He  wished  she  knew  how  rich  he  was  (in 
prospect).  He  wished  she  but  faintly  guessed  his 


300  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

popularity  among  girls  who  would  be  sure  to  look 
down  upon  her  from  an  immeasurable  distance. 

"  Idiots  if  they  did,"  he  ejaculated  mentally, 
suddenly  going  over  to  the  enemy.  "  She  is  as 
sharp  as  one  of  her  native  briers.  Give  her  a  few 
weeks  among  that  set,  and  enough  money  to  keep 
up  her  end,  and  she  would  distance  them  all." 

Chester's  elbow  gave  him  a  slight  accidental 
nudge.  The  temporary  glow  of  enthusiasm  faded. 
He  scowled  again  at  the  "  Herald,"  and  ran  his  eye 
in  business-like  fashion  down  its  columns. 

He  had  turned,  from  force  of  habit,  to  the  base- 
ball news ;  but  the  recorded  fact  that  the  Chicagos 
had  defeated  his  favorite  team  the  previous  day 
failed  to  stir  his  blood  as  usual  with  loyal  wrath, 
for  he  read  between  the  technically  descriptive 
lines  that  Phyllis  Flower  did  not  like  him. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

"GO,   LITTLE   LETTER." 

MRS.  REDMOND  felt  an  infinite  relief  when 
Tony  and  Phyllis  had  left  her  alone  with  her  own 
thoughts.  She  hastened  to  her  room  and,  locking 
the  door,  sat  down  to  look  her  situation  squarely 
in  the  face.  One  certainty  overpowered  all  others. 
She  loved  Terriss  Chester.  He  was  a  common- 
place enough  individual.  He  had  done  nothing  to 
win  her  affection  save  to  show  his  own  in  a  fashion 
the  reverse  of  brilliant  or  masterful.  He  had  not 
proven  himself  a  power  among  men,  had  not  sur- 
mounted and  moulded  the  circumstances  of  his 
life,  but  rather  had  drifted  on  in  a  self-distrustful, 
ambitionless  fashion  which  was  not  admirable. 

"No  matter,  no  matter,"  cried  her  heart  pas- 
sionately. "  I  love  him." 

She  had  been  intensely  mortified  and  humiliated, 
but  it  was  not  in  Elise's  nature  to  remain  crushed. 
She  was  masterful  by  nature.  Had  she  been  a 
man,  circumstances  would  have  been  well-nigh 
powerless  to  conquer  her.  She  had  done  wrong  to 
deceive  Terriss.  She  would  acknowledge  it.  She 
was  no  timid  youiig  girl  to  fear  making  an  ad- 
vance. Terriss  had  admired  her,  —  her  belief  that 
he  loved  her  had  suffered  a  shock  in  the  fact  that 


302  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

he  could  treat  her  offense  with  such  cold  anger. 
Surely  he  would  forgive  her  and  learn  to  love  and 
trust  her  again.  At  all  events,  all  that  made  life 
worth  having  to  her  now  was  this  hope  ;  and  to 
sit  quietly  and  leave  her  destiny  to  chance  was  not 
possible  to  her.  A  thousand  considerations  chased 
one  another  feverishly  through  her  brain  as  she 
seated  herself  at  her  desk  and  drew  writing  mate- 
rials toward  her.  Oh,  the  relief  of  pouring  out  her 
heart  on  the  insensate  paper,  knowing  that  it  was 
in  her  power  to  send  or  to  withhold  the  message  at 
the  last ! 

She  wrote  and  rewrote,  considered  and  recon- 
sidered, her  strong  will  and  full  heart  pleading 
with  its  object  until  she  had  worked  herself  into 
the  belief  that  he  must  see  and  feel  wholly  in  sym- 
pathy with  her. 

"  The  money !  The  hateful  money !  "  she  thought 
wildly.  "  It  will  stand  in  the  way ;  "  and  then  she 
recognized  that  if  she  revealed  too  plainly  her 
feelings  he  might  impute  her  boldness  to  a  realiza- 
tion of  her  wealth  and  his  poverty.  How  he  had 
spoken  of  Elise  Beckwith's  indelicacy  in  the  past ! 
How  would  he  consider  this  ? 

She  covered  her  flushed  cheeks  with  her  hands 
at  the  thought ;  then  suddenly  in  a  panic  began 
tearing  the  written  sheets  into  small  fragments. 
She  realized  now  that  the  early  evening  shades 
were  falling,  and  remembered  that  she  had  dis- 
missed the  maid  who  knocked  on  her  door  for  or- 
ders at  tea-time. 


"GO,    LITTLE  LETTER."  303 

From  below  she  could  hear  vagrant  snatches  of 
melody,  and  knew  that  Tony  was  beguiling  the 
tedium  of  his  lonely  evening  at  the  piano. 

But  these  discoveries  were  ripples  upon  the 
deep,  rushing  river  of  her  thoughts.  Again  she 
covered  her  face  with  her  hands  and  pondered. 
The  old  worshiping  look  in  Terriss'  eyes  seemed 
to  confront  her  and  plead  with  her  for  her  own 
happiness. 

"  I  will  not  leave  it  so.  I  cannot.  I  must  be 
the  one  to  speak.  He  will  not.  Perhaps  he  thinks 
he  cannot."  She  drew  paper  toward  her  again, 
and  wrote  :  — 

TERRISS,  —  Pride  would  suggest  that  I  make 
no  apology  for  the  deception  I  have  practiced  to- 
ward you ;  but  I  cannot  listen  to  it.  I  am  wretched 
under  your  displeasure.  I  confess  that  for  some 
time  I  intended  to  punish  you  for  your  cavalier 
treatment  of  Elise  Beckwith ;  but  that  intention 
perished  long  ago,  and  I  would  have  been  glad  to 
acknowledge  my  identity,  but  that  a  great  dread 
restrained  me.  A  dread  of  what?  Forgive  me, 
come  to  me,  and  perhaps  you  can  guess.  E.  R. 

Her  whole  heart  went  out  to  him  as  she  wrote, 
and  her  soft  beauty  as  she  hurriedly  folded  the 
letter  and  sealed  it  in  its  envelope  would  have  in- 
spired an  artist  less  engrossed  in  her  than  Terriss 
Chester.  The  note  was  so  cold  and  guarded  in 
comparison  with  its  predecessors  that  she  enter- 


304  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

tained  no  misgivings  as  to  the  advisability  of 
sending  it.  She  rang  for  a  servant  and  gave  or- 
ders that  a  man  should  ride  with  it  at  once  to  the 
post-office,  preferring  this  means  of  communica- 
tion, for  some  unexpressed  reason,  to  the  direct 
road  to  Roxana's  door. 

The  sweetness  of  relief  and  the  sanguine  hope- 
fulness she  experienced  when  she  heard  the  clatter 
of  horse's  hoofs  down  the  avenue,  lasted  through- 
out the  night,  giving  her  pleasant  dreams  and 
meeting  her  in  the  morning  at  the  first  moment  of 
waking.  But,  alas,  for  the  garish  light  of  day,  it 
brings  out  defects  in  such  honest,  unsparing  clear- 
ness ! 

The  defects  in  Elise's  little  scheme  began  to 
obtrude  themselves  suggestively  before  she  had 
left  her  bed.  How  shallow  and  flippant  her  whole 
course  would  be  sure  to  look  to  Chester!  The 
suggestions  began  to  be  tormenting.  His  confi- 
dence in  her  was  entirely  undermined.  Was  it 
likely  he  would  permit  himself  to  be  whistled  back, 
perhaps  to  be  duped  in  some  new  direction  ?  How 
unwomanly,  how  daring,  had  been  the  implication 
with  which  that  horrible  note  had  closed  !  The 
suggestions  had  become  torture.  Elise  could  only 
bury  her  face  in  her  pillow  and  exaggerate  her 
own  indiscretion  and  Chester's  cold  surprise  and 
contempt,  regardless  of  time,  until  her  maid  ap- 
peared with  a  scribbled  word  of  sympathy  from 
Tony. 

"  He  says,  ma'am,  perhaps  he  'd  better  take  the 
early  train  for  town,"  said  the  girl. 


"GO,  LITTLE  LETTER."  305 

"  Yes.  Give  him  my  regrets  and  good-by,"  re- 
turned Mrs.  Redmond,  and  as  soon  as  the  maid's 
back  was  turned  she  buried  her  face  again  in  her 
pillow ;  but  not  for  long.  True  to  her  nature, 
which  refused  to  be  quiescent  under  suffering,  Elise 
began  searching  for  a  device  to  escape  this  new 
humiliation.  Strange  to  say,  the  simplest  method 
presented  itself  last,  namely  to  get  the  letter  out 
of  the  office  before  Chester  could. 

As  soon  as  this  possibility  did  occur  to  her,  she 
made  a  hasty  toilet,  ordered  her  carriage,  drank  a 
cup  of  coffee,  and  started  on  her  way  to  the  village. 
Her  horses  were  good  ones,  but  to-day  it  seemed  to 
her  they  crawled.  She  deeply  injured  the  coach- 
man's feelings  by  her  criticisms,  and  by  the  time 
they  reached  the  office,  there  was  a  general  scatter- 
ing in  the  street  before  the  foam-flecked  team. 

She  dismounted  before  the  horses  had  fairly 
stopped,  and  found  herself  trembling  as  she  stood 
before  the  little  window. 

"  I  will  take  Mrs.  Sherritt's  mail,"  she  said, 
forgetting  that  she  had  not  asked  for  her  own. 
The  postmaster  looked  vacantly  into  her  excited 
face. 

"  Oh  —  Mrs.  Sherritt's,"  he  said,  at  last. 

"Yes,  would  you  kindly  hurry  a  little?"  she  con- 
tinued, an  unsteadiness  in  her  proudly  authorita- 
tive voice. 

The  functionary  pushed  up  his  spectacles,  and 
took  from  the  shelf  a  package  of  letters,  which  he 
commenced  deliberately  to  look  over,  one  by  ouo. 


306  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Mrs.  Redmond  gazed  at  the  package  with  bright, 
eager  eyes,  longing  to  take  it  into  her  own  deft 
hands. 

The  postmaster  began  slowly  shaking  his  head 
as  he  neared  the  last  envelope. 

"  Nothin'  this  mornin',''  he  said  at  last. 

Elise's  breath  came  fast. 

"  Not  for  Miss  Flower  —  or  —  or  Mr.  Ches- 
ter ?  "  she  asked. 

"  No,  nothin'  for  Phyllis.  Mr.  Chester's  mail 
ain't  goin'  there  no  more.  It  's  got  to  be  for- 
warded to  Boston." 

Mrs.  Redmond's  heart  gave  a  great  leap ;  but 
she  realized  that  she  was  in  a  gossiping  little  vil- 
lage, and  her  wariness  did  not  forsake  her. 

"  I  hope  I  am  in  time,  then,"  she  said.  "  I  mailed 
an  invitation  to  Mr.  Chester  last  night.  I  am 
obliged  to  retract  it.  Be  kind  enough  to  hand  it 
to  me." 

"  Sorry  I  can't,  ma'am.  That  invitation  's  bound 
to  get  to  Mr.  Chester  'fore  night.  It 's  on  its  way 
to  Boston  now." 

Elise  grasped  the  dingy  railing.  Her  disap- 
pointment was  poignant,  and  for  the  moment  made 
her  ill.  Her  thoughts,  however,  were  nimble. 
How  would  it  be  to  telegraph  Terriss  not  to  open 
her  letter?  No.  That  would  but  make  a  bad 
matter  worse.  Better  to  rely  on  her  own  ability, 
when  she  saw  him,  to  contradict  by  her  manner 
the  interpretation  he  must  put  upon  her  written 
words. 


"GO,  LITTLE  LETTER."  307 

She  moved  out  of  the  post-office  and  entered  her 
carriage  like  one  in  a  dream,  only  awakened  by 
the  furious  hurry  into  which  the  driver  at  once 
urged  the  horses. 

"  William,  not  so  fast.  Drive  slowly,"  she  or- 
dered, and  unmindful  of  the  coachman's  astonished 
and  injured  countenance,  relapsed  into  her  reverie. 

Terriss  would  come.  She  felt  sure  of  it.  He 
had  left  Snowdon  hurriedly,  driven  away  by  her 
falseness  ;  but  he  would  come  at  her  entreaty.  He 
would  feel  so  much  as  that  indebted  to  her.  How 
could  she  bear  it?  She  loved  him.  How  could 
she  bear  to  see  him  and  to  face  his  criticism  of 
her? 

Suddenly  her  eyes  brightened.  She  leaned  for- 
ward and  addressed  the  driver.  "  Turn  back, 
please,"  she  said.  "  I  wish  to  go  to  Mr.  Terriss'." 

Arrived  at  the  parsonage,  she  looked  hesitatingly 
at  the  darkened  front  of  the  house,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded around  to  the  back  door,  where  she  ap- 
peared, an  astonishing  vision,  to  Lucindy. 

"I  did  not  wish  to  disturb  any  one  by  ringing 
the  bell,"  she  announced  to  the  gaping  hand- 
maiden. "  How  is  the  minister  this  morning?  " 

"  He  's  awful  dangerous,"  replied  the  girl,  wag- 
ging her  head  solemnly. 

"  I  wonder  if  I  could  see  Miss  Redmond  a  mo- 
ment. I  will  wait  in  the  dining-room.  You  go 
quietly,  and  if  you  can  get  a  glimpse  of  her,  tell 
her  I  am  here." 

Lucindy  dropped  her  dish    towel  and   obeyed. 


308     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

People  always  did  obey  Elise.  She  had  not  waited 
many  minutes  when  Rebecca  appeared,  looking 
more  spiritual  and  transparent  than  ever,  but 
bringing  with  her  an  atmosphere  of  calm  which 
was  grateful  to  the  caller's  highly  wrought  condi- 
tion of  mind. 

The  latter  advanced  and  took  her  sister's  hand. 
"  I  hear  the  news  is  not  hopeful  this  morning," 
she  said. 

Miss  Rebecca  shook  her  head.  "  No,"  she  re- 
plied softly. 

"  I  have  come  to  see  if  you  will  not  take  me  as 
assistant,  —  let  me  bring  a  bag  and  stay  as  many 
days  as  I  am  needed." 

"  No,  dear  child.     We  don't  need  you." 

"  You  look  very  worn  already,"  said  Elise 
abruptly. 

"  Yes,  because  I  have  been  up  all  night ;  but 
now  Roxana  is  here,  and  I  am  going  to  sleep." 

"  Good  little  Rebecca,"  said  Elise,  looking  at 
her  wistfully.  "  You  had  better  let  me  get  a  nurse 
to  do  this  work  for  you.  I  don't  know  why  I 
should  allow  you  to  wear  yourself  out  in  this 
way." 

"  I  wish  to  —  I  wish  to.  Say  nothing  against 
it,  dear.  Have  you  heard  how  wonderfully  Mrs. 
Terriss  seemed  resuscitated  by  the  excitement  ?  " 

"  Yes,  the  servants  were  speaking  of  it  this 
morning.  So  this  illness  has  solved  one  of  your 
problems?" 

"  Yes,  but  I  am  fearful  of  the  effect  upon  her  of 


"GO,  LITTLE  LETTER."  309 

so  much  effort.  It  seems  to  be  a  relief  to  her  that 
I  am  here.  It  is  clearly  my  duty  to  stay." 

"  Dear,  good  Mr.  Terriss,"  said  Elise.  "  It  is 
easier  to  give  you  to  his  service  than  it  would  be  to 
another's.  Do  you  really  think  he  cannot  live  ?  " 

Such  a  look  as  Rebecca  gave  her  out  of  those 
gentle  eyes ;  such  a  suffering,  frightened,  patient 
look! 

Mrs.  Redmond  was  moved  to  give  her  a  rare 
embrace. 

"  I  am  keeping  you  selfishly  from  your  sleep," 
she  said.  "  You  faithful  little  sister,  he  will  get 
well  if  good  nursing  can  compass  it.  Is  there  any 
doctor,  anybody,  anything,  you  would  like  sent 
for  ?  Please  make  use  of  me,  if  you  can." 

Rebecca  wiped  away  the  bright,  slow-gathering 
tears.  "  You  can  do  nothing,  Elise.  I  have  told 
the  doctor  to  send  for  any  one  he  will.  He  knows 
that  no  effort  is  to  be  spared.  Good-by  —  good- 

by-" 

In  her  carriage  again,  Mrs.  Redmond  felt  more 
rueful  than  before.  Rebecca  would  not  have  her. 
That  highly  respectable  avenue  of  escape  was 
closed  to  her.  Still,  escape  she  must,  even  if  but 
temporarily,  the  consequences  of  that  mad  letterj 
—  that  dreadful  letter  that  took  so  much  for 
granted. 

Another  idea  occurred  to  her,  a  pleasant  one, 
evidently,  for  she  smiled  as  she  gave  the  driver  an 
order  to  proceed  to  Miss  Flower's. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
"o  HEART!  ARE  YOU  GREAT  ENOUGH?" 

IT  is  seldom  in  this  world  that  a  deeply  coveted 
good  actually  comes  to  one  at  the  time  the  craving 
for  it  is  strongest ;  yet  to  Terriss  Chester,  the  man 
of  many  disappointments  and  scant  success,  such 
rare  fortune  was  on  its  way. 

The  remainder  of  the  afternoon  of  the  day  on 
which  he  arrived  in  Boston  was  spent  in  search  of 
a  room,  in  which  for  few  enough  dollars  per  week 
he  might  have  the  privilege  of  storing  his  trunk 
and  valise,  and,  by  night,  himself.  The  daylight 
he  proposed  to  use  for  some  time  to  come  in  a  more 
or  less  declared  search  for  a  situation. 

The  room  found  and  the  hard  bed  slept  in,  Ter- 
riss considered  that  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he 
fully  realized  what  an  exceptionally  lonely  and 
comfortless  existence  his  was.  He  reviled  the  lack 
of  adaptability,  the  reserved  and  ungenial  disposi- 
tion, which  had  prevented  his  finding  a  single  good 
comrade  among  the  chance  acquaintances  of  his 
many  years  of  clerkship.  He  realized  that  these 
months  under  Mrs.  Sherritt's  conscientious  super- 
vision had  given  him  a  taste  of  home-life  which  by 
contrast  made  his  fate  more  distasteful.  Loyal 
little  Phyllis  !  She  had  been  a  friend,  philosopher, 


"0  HEART!  ARE  YOU  GREAT  ENOUGH!"  311 

and  guide  not  to  be  despised.  Despised  indeed ! 
To  be  sadly  missed  and  keenly  desired.  Chester 
had  been  too  absorbed  and  confused  in  his  hasty 
leave-taking  of  Snowdon  to  think  much  about 
Phyllis  ;  but  sitting  on  his  trunk  in  his  bare  room 
that  next  morning,  he  thought  of  her.  The  bright 
sparks  in  her  eyes  and  the  feeling  in  her  voice 
when  she  gave  him  her  spontaneous  sympathy 
came  back  to  him  now  as  a  sweet  remembrance. 
It  was  pleasant  to  think  about  Phyllis,  and  it  was 
safe.  Some  time  he  meant  to  go  and  see  her  again. 
He  drew  a  deep  sigh,  put  on  his  hat,  and  went  out 
to  find  a  breakfast  somewhere,  and  to  study  the 
advertisements  in  the  papers.  Some  of  these  he 
answered  during  the  day,  and  he  called  at  several 
business  houses  to  see  if  there  were  a  •  chance  for 
him  ;  but  when  at  night  he  lit  the  gas  in  his  unin- 
viting room,  he  had  found  no  niche  into  which  he 
might  possibly  fit. 

He  always  remembered  that  night  afterward. 
It  was  very  hard  to  get  to  sleep,  and  he  struggled 
so  not  to  think  about  Elise.  He  tried  to  amuse 
himself  by  recalling  Roxana's  oddities,  and  soothed 
himself  with  a  recollection  of  Phyllis  and  her  naive 
girlish  friendship.  He  calculated  possible  business 
chances ;  debated  whether  it  would  not  be  better 
for  him  to  leave  Boston  and  to  go  where  there  was 
more  room.  In  vain.  Mrs.  Redmond  was  queen 
of  his  thoughts  that  night,  and  would  not  be  de- 
posed. He  ceased  struggling  after  a  time.  He 
deliberately  yielded  to  the  pleasing  torment,  and 


312  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

allowed  his  imagination  to  dwell  upon  the  tones  of 
her  sweet,  low-pitched  voice,  the  natural,  graceful 
poses  of  her  royal  head,  and  upon  the  fiery  gold  of 
each  silky  thread  of  her  hair  when  the  sun  blazed 
full  upon  it. 

How  her  throat  and  arms  gleamed  from  the 
thin  summer  fabrics  she  wore  !  How  proud  and 
unteuder  she  was,  yet  womanly  too!  A  woman 
who  had  not  yet  found  the  master  of  her  heart, 
but  was  sovereign  of  herself  as  well  as  of  all  around 
her. 

Yet  Phyllis  had  said  that  Tony —  It  was  strange 
how  little  lasting  effect  that  statement  of  Phyllis's 
had  had.  Tony  Bellows  master  of  that  woman's 
heart?  Impossible.  And  yet  she  was  going  to 
marry  him;  Phyllis  had  said  so.  She  doubtless 
had  her  reasons.  Tony  was  good  looking  and  rich, 
and  of  course  her  ardent  admirer.  All  men  must 
be  that  who  had  eyes  to  see  and  ears  to  hear.  It 
made  small  difference  to  him.  It  was  all  over; 
and  in  Chester's  hopelessness  and  the  blankness  of 
his  lot  compared  with  the  heaven  of  his  imagina- 
tion, there  seemed  to  him  something  not  inapt  in 
Miss  Rebecca's  simile  of  the  black  stone  by  the 
wayside. 

A  clod  he  felt  himself  when  wearied  out  he  fell 
asleep ;  a  clod  he  felt  himself  when  he  awakened 
in  the  morning,  and  heavily  rose  and  started  upon 
another  day.  While  at  breakfast,  he  thought  of 
the  bank  again.  He  had  so  far  refrained  from  vis- 
iting the  scene  of  his  old  employment.  He  did  not 


"0  HEART!  ARE  YOU  GREAT  ENOUGH?"  313 

wish  to  appear  to  be  thinking  of  a  situation  there, 
and  any  place  connected  with  Tony  had  grown  ob- 
noxious to  him.  Xevertheless,  habit  is  strong,  and 
he  inclined  to  seek  the  spot  of  all  in  town  most 
familiar  to  him ;  where  at  least  there  were  faces 
that  he  knew.  Then  it  suddenly  occurred  to  him 
that  he  had  left  word  at  the  Snowdon  post-office  to 
have  his  mail  forwarded  to  the  bank,  that  being 
the  only  address  at  his  command.  Here  was  a 
reason  for  carrying  out  his  desire,  and  shortly  after 
breakfast,  he  turned  his  steps  toward  the  familiar 
locality. 

Chester  little  suspected  that  when  he  crossed  the 
marble  threshold  of  the  fine  building  he  had 
sought,  he  was  leaving  his  old  life  behind  him.  In 
spite  of  himself,  his  sensitive  independence  suffered 
in  coming  here  at  all.  He  was  so  conscious  that 
he  would  be  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  reenter  the 
old  treadmill,  that  it  seemed  to  him  this  hankering 
must  be  apparent  to  his  fellow  employees  as  soon 
as  they  saw  him.  Consequently  his  dark  face  wore 
an  especially  forbidding  expression,  and  his  tall 
figure  was  drawn  up  in  its  most  unapproachable 
attitude. 

His  pleasant  surprises  began  at  the  moment  of 
entering  the  bank  door.  Some  one  looked  up,  and 
recognizing  him,  said,  "  Hello,  there  's  Chester." 
A  friendly  hand  grasped  his,  another  and  another 
pleasant  nod  and  kindly  word  greeted  him,  and 
made  him  feel  that  after  all  he  was  a  human  being 
among  human  beings,  and  not  entirely  isolated 


314     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

from  his  kind.  Before  he  realized  it,  he  was  talk- 
ing companionably  with  his  old  acquaintances 
about  his  illness  and  recovery,  and  some  twenty 
minutes  passed  before  he  remembered  the  errand 
that  had  brought  him. 

"  Any  mail  for  me  ?  "  he  asked  then,  and  some- 
body handed  him  Elise's  letter.  He  took  it  me- 
chanically and  slipped  it  into  his  pocket,  quite 
preoccupied  by  the  fact  that  his  old  employer  was 
advancing  to  shake  hands  and  say  a  cordial  word. 
Altogether,  nothing  occurred  during  his  brief  visit 
to  annoy  him,  and  he  left  a  few  minutes  afterward 
with  a  glow  of  pleasant  feeling,  in  which,  for  the 
moment,  the  cold  facts  of  his  aimless  condition  were 
forgotten.  He  had  not  yet  had  time  to  recollect 
that  there  was  no  particular  objective  point  toward 
which  his  swift  footsteps  were  tending,  when,  on 
putting  his  hand  in  his  pocket,  it  struck  the  edge 
of  an  envelope. 

"  Ah,  surely,  I  have  a-  letter,"  he  thought,  and 
drew  it  forth. 

The  handwriting  was  large  and  unfamiliar,  the 
postmark  Snowdon.  He  tore  open  the  envelope 
without  a  suspicion  of  the  writer's  identity. 

The  opening  word,  his  own  name,  without  prefix, 
surprised  him.  He  walked  slower,  as  he  read,  and 
finally  stood  still  on  the  sidewalk  when  slow  com- 
prehension arrived  at  certainty  by  means  of  the 
initials  that  signed  the  page.  A  hurrying  pedes- 
trian was  cleverly  collided  with  and  unpleasantly 
jarred  by  this  sudden  standstill  of  Chester's,  and 


"0  HEART!  ARE    YOU  GREAT  ENOUGH!"    315 

looking  angrily  at  the  offender  with  an  impatient 
exclamation,  met  the  most  rapt  and  ecstatic  gaze 
he  had  ever  seen  in  a  man's  face.  Chester  for- 
got to  apologize  ;  he  smiled  vaguely,  and  moved  on. 

He  had  not  comprehended  the  letter  fully  yet, 
and  he  knew  it ;  but  Elise  had  written  to  him,  and 
kindly.  He  looked  about  him  to  see  where  he 
was.  There  was  a  restaurant  a  few  steps  away, 
and  it  was  not  likely  there  would  be  many  per- 
sons in  it  at  this  hour.  He  entered,  and  seated 
himself  at  a  remote  table,  rested  his  arms  thereon, 
and  holding  the  letter  firmly  with  both  hands,  be- 
gan to  read  again. 

A  waiter  hastened  to  his  side.  Terriss  looked  up 
at  him  as  though  a  waiter  were  the  most  extrane- 
ous object  possible  to  imagine  in  a  restaurant.  He 
closed  the  letter  between  his  hands,  too,  as  though 
suspicious  that  the  man  had  designs  upon  it. 

"  Your  order,  sir,"  said  the  functionary. 

"  Oh !  "  Chester  reflected.  At  last  he  thought 
of  ice  cream,  and  that  being  a  delicacy  abhorrent 
to  him  he  ordered  it,  and  being  left  in  peace  re- 
turned with  epicurean  delight  to  his  feast,  which  he 
discussed,  one  phrase  at  a  time. 

"  Terriss.  She  uses  my  name."  Then  reading 
on  :  "  She  foregoes  her  pride.  She  acknowledges 
her  deception,  and  regrets  it.  A  great  dread  re- 
strained her.  A  dread  of  what  ?  Forgive  her,  — 
come  to  her  "  —  Chester's  breath  came  fast  with 
excitement.  "  She  thinks  I  was  angry  with  her, 
when  I  was  only  ashamed,  ashamed  to  have  tried 


316  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

her  patience  so  far ;  to  have  criticised  and  blamed 
her  so  boorishly.  I  felt  that  the  best  return  I 
could  make  for  her  long  and  courteous  toleration 
was  to  take  myself  off.  How  cold  and  haughty 
her  face  looked,  royal  always  and  never  so  royal 
as  then  !  '  You  have  learned  the  truth,'  it  seemed 
to  say,  '  and  now,  surely,  you  can  ask  no  more  of 
me.' " 

His  deeply  flushed  face  bent  lower  over  the  let- 
ter. "  Forgive  me,  —  come  to  me,  and  perhaps  you 
can  guess." 

They  were  sweet,  appealing  words,  and  he  read 
them  over  and  over  with  a  deep  enjoyment,  before 
his  thought  expanded  to  a  breadth  of  comprehen- 
sion in  which  their  full  import  could  come  to  him. 

He  read  still  again,  "  A  great  dread  restrained 
me.  A  dread  of  what  ?  Forgive  me,  come  to  me, 
—  and  perhaps  you  can  guess." 

Terriss'  hand  grew  unsteady,  for  a  tremendous 
thought,  nay  conviction,  mastered  him.  His  face 
grew  pale.  "  My  God  !  she  loves  me."  Whether 
the  exclamation  was  mental,  or  whether  he  spoke 
aloud,  he  did  not  know,  and  the  name  of  the  Deity 
was  no  irreverence  on  his  lips.  In  his  unsuccessful 
encounters  with  fate,  he  had  doggedly  and  stoically 
pursued  his  way  with  little  thought  of  the  hand 
of  a  ruling  Power  in  his  affairs ;  but  this  sublime 
gift  seemed  .only  possible  from  an  omnipotent 
Being,  and  in  his  exalted  gratitude,  his  first  im- 
pulse was  acknowledgment. 

He  rose  unsteadily  and  pushed  his  chair  back. 


"0  HEART!  ARE    YOU  GREAT  ENOUGH?"     317 

The  waiter  was  at  his  elbow.  The  untouched  ice 
cream  was  melting  and  overflowing  the  sides  of  the 
saucer. 

"  There  's  your  check,  sir,"  observed  the  watch- 
ful one,  indicating  the  slip  of  paper.  Chester  felt 
in  his  vest  pocket  and  pulled  out  a  dollar  bill, 
which  he  handed  the  man,  and  then  moved  out  of 
the  place  with  a  fixed  gaze  which  gave  some  excuse 
for  the  philosophical  shake  of  the  head  with  which 
the  waiter  looked  after  him,  his  condemnation  of 
Chester's  supposed  condition  being  tempered  by 
the  fee  he  had  gained. 

There  was  no  doubt  in  Terriss'  mind  as  to  his 
next  move.  "  Come  to  me,"  she  had  written.  Of 
course  he  should  go.  The  first  train  which  he  could 
get  to  Snowdon  arrived  there  at  seven  o'clock. 
The  time  on  the  way  would  have  seemed  very  long 
but  for  the  letter  which  he  held  in  his  hand,  and 
reread  a  hundred  times,  folding  and  placing  it  in 
his  pocket  occasionally,  simply  for  the  pleasure  of 
taking  it  out  again. 

When  at  last  his  feet  touched  the  platform  at 
Snowdon,  it  struck  him  that  much  time  had  elapsed 
since  that  wretched  day  when  last  he  saw  it,  and  it 
seemed,  too,  that  he  could  not  be  identical  with  the 
hopeless  and  aimless  man  who  took  that  morning 
train  with  Tony  Bellows. 

Tony  Bellows  !  Chester  laughed  aloud.  It  was 
the  first  time  he  had  thought  of  his  friend  since 
this  wondrous  metamorphosis  of  the  whole  world. 

He  strode  alon£  the  road  to  Beech  Knoll  at  a 


318  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

swinging  pace,  luxuriating  as  he  went  in  conjuring 
up  different  possible  images  of  Elise  as  he  should 
find  her.  Whether  indoors  or  out,  occupied  or 
idle,  mattered  little  to  her  lover,  so  that  he  saw  her 
at  last,  and  received  proof  from  her  sweet  lips  and 
eyes  that  he  was  awake  and  sane. 

He  passed  Mrs.  Sherritt's  domain  with  a  glance, 
and  hurried  on.  Beech  Knoll  at  last.  He  entered 
the  gates,  went  up  the  avenue,  and  approached  the 
piazza.  No  sign  yet  of  his  lady.  He  mounted  the 
steps  and  rang  the  bell  with  an  eager  hand. 

A  maid  opened  the  door  and  gave  him  a  smile 
of  recognition. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  Mrs.  Redmond,"  he  said 
confidently. 

"  She 's  not  at  home,  sir.  I  'm  sorry."  The 
gratuitous  addition  was  doubtless  elicited  by  the 
change  in  the  visitor's  face.  The  maid  had  always 
considered  Chester  a  handsome  gentleman,  and 
when  she  opened  the  door  just  now,  she  had  men- 
tally remarked  that  he  was  handsomer  than  ever. 

"  Where  is  Mrs.  Redmond  ?     I  will  find  her." 

"  Oh,  she  's  left  town,  sir." 

"  Left  town  !  "  echoed  Chester  blankly.  "  Where 
has  she  gone  ?  " 

"  We  don't  know,  any  of  us.  She  made  up  her 
mind  suddenly,  and  went  off." 

"  I  would  like  to  see  Miss  Rebecca,  then." 

The  maid  shook  her  head.  "  She  's  at  the  par- 
sonage, helping  with  Mr.  Terriss.  He  's  very  sick, 
you  know,  sir." 


"0  HEART!  ARE    YOU   GREAT  ENOUGH ?"     319 

"  Oh,  yes."  Chester  reflected  a  moment. 
"  Thank  you,"  he  said,  then  turned  away. 

His  disappointment  was  great,  but  there  were 
deeps  to  his  happiness  which  could  bear  this 
draught  upon  it  and  leave  him  blissful  still.  The 
letter  lay  warm  against  his  heart,  and  an  idea 
came  to  him  at  which  he  smiled  meditatively. 
Elise  had  written  impulsively,  then,  frightened  at 
her  own  temerity,  had  run  away.  Such  an  action 
was  not  like  Mrs.  Redmond,  to  be  sure,  but-  then 
neither  was  the  letter,  and  the  letter  was  a  fact. 
He  put  his  hand  in  his  breast  pocket  to  touch  it 
and  make  sure. 

"I  will  go  and  see  Phyllis,"  he  thought.  It 
would  be  a  real  pleasure  to  see  Phyllis  ;  but  at 
Mrs.  Sherritt's  a  lesser  disappointment  awaited 
him.  Ring,  knock,  and  wait  as  he  might,  no  sign 
of  life  could  be  evoked  from  the  silent  house. 

"  Is  the  town  bewitched  ?  "  he  thought.  "  But 
I  must  not  leave  without  going  to  inquire  for  cou- 
sin Philip,  and  there  I  shall  see  Miss  Rebecca." 

Arrived  at  the  parsonage,  he  found  a  written 
card  tacked  up  at  the  entrance,  which  warned  all 
persons  not  to  ring,  but  to  go  around  to  the  back 
door. 

Chester  followed  the  latter  injunction,  and  ab- 
sent-mindedly forgetting  to  knock,  pushed  open 
the  kitchen  door.  He  was  greeted  by  a  stifled 
shriek  from  Lucindy,  who,  sitting  in  the  shadows, 
was  greatly  startled  by  the  sudden  appearance  of 
the  tall  stranger. 


320  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  I  beg  pardon.  I  should  have  knocked.  I 
came  to  inquire  for  Mr.  Terriss." 

Lucindy,  who  had  retreated  into  a  corner,  came 
slowly  forward  at  this  placable  address. 

*'  Oh,  I  'm  that  nervous,"  she  gasped  ;  "  what 
with  folks  out  o'  their  heads,  and  dyin'  in  every 
room  in  the  house,  I  jump  at  a  shadder.  I  did  n't 
see  't  was  you,  Mr.  Chester." 

"  Is  Mr.  Terriss  dying,  do  you  say  ?  "  asked 
Chester,  shocked. 

"  He  's  dreadful  bad,"  averred  the  girl ;  "  and 
now  Mrs.  Terriss,  she  's  got  an  awful  fever,  and 
we  're  scared  about  her  too."  Lucindy  wiped  her 
eyes. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  this,"  said  Chester. 
"  I  wish  there  were  something  I  could  do." 

"  They  've  sent  to  Boston  for  a  nurse,"  replied 
Lucindy,  shaking  her  head.  "  Miss  Rebecca  and 
Mrs.  Sherritt,  they  've  got  their  hands  too  full 
now." 

"  I  suppose  I  would  better  not  ask  to  see  Miss 
Rebecca,"  remarked  Chester. 

"  I  don't  believe  she  'd  come  down,"  replied  Lu- 
cindy dolefully.  "  Mrs.  Redmond,  her  sister-in- 
law,  was  here  yesterday  "  — 

"What?     Yesterday?" 

"  Yes  ;  an'  Miss  Rebecca  could  n't  see  her  ;  an' 
Mrs.  Redmond  she  had  me  give  her  a  paper  an' 
pencil,  an'  wrote  her  a  note.  I  can  give  you  one," 
suggested  Lucindy,  "  if  you  want  to  write." 

Chester  reflected  a  moment.     How  narrowly  he 


"0  HEART!   ARE   YOU   GREAT  ENOUGH?"      321 

had  missed  finding  Elise  !  but  he  would  not  trouble 
Miss  Rebecca  at  such  a  time. 

"  No,"  he  answered.  "  Just  tell  Miss  Rebecca 
that  I  called  to  inquire,  and  give  her  my  sympathy. 
Good-evening,"  and  Terriss  moved  out  of  the  door 
and  down  the  uncertain  back  steps.  He  could  not 
get  back  to  Boston  to-night.  There  was  nothing 
to  do  but  to  find  a  supper  and  a  bed  at  the  Snow- 
don  House,  and  perhaps  in  the  morning  he  would 
return  to  the  parsonage  and  get  Elise's  address 
from  Miss  Rebecca. 

Further  meditation,  however,  in  his  luridly-pa- 
pered room  in  the  country  hotel  determined  him 
not  to  do  this.  Now  that  his  ideas  were  calmer,  he 
saw  matters  in  a  clearer  and  more  comprehensive 
light.  The  difference  between  his  own  and  Elise's 
financial  position,  which  had  utterly  faded  from  his 
mind,  recurred  to  him.  It  would  be  better,  before 
he  followed  her,  to  have  some  occupation  in  view. 
He  sat  iu  one  of  the  small,  uncomfortable  chairs 
that  furnished  his  room,  and  thought  for  hours, 
rose-tinted,  thoughts,  of  the  past  and  future.  He 
reconsidered  the  episode  of  Elise's  offer  of  the 
money,  with  tender  leniency.  Only  the  highest, 
most  womanly,  of  motives,  of  course,  could  have 
influenced  her.  Shame  upon  him,  that  he  could 
ever  have  believed  otherwise.  He  dwelt  with  gen- 
tle remembrance  on  the  memory  of  Aaron  Beck- 
with,  and,  for  the  first  time  in  fifteen  years,  called 
him  "  father "  in  thought.  The  autocratic  man 
would  once  have  been  very  happy  to  foresee  this. 


322  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

How  lovely  Elise  had  looked  that  day  in  the  grove, 
when  she  defended  her  childish  self  with  such  spirit 
and  compassion !  Terriss  chafed  in  self-condem- 
nation, as  he  recalled  his  own  observations ;  but 
he  took  out  his  letter  once  more,  the  panacea  for 
all  wounds  henceforth. 

He  forgot  that  he  was  thirty-five,  and  had  never 
been  given  to  sentiment,  and  he  fervently  kissed 
the  paper  where  her  hand  had  rested,  and  slept 
with  it  beneath  his  pillow  that  night. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

ANYWHERE  !    ANYWHERE  ! 

ON  the  morning,  three  days  ago,  when  Terriss 
Chester  bade  good-by  to  his  entertainers,  they 
stood  on  the  steps  to  see  the  last  of  him. 

*'  Well,  that  chapter  's  ended,"  remarked  Rox- 
ana.  It  was  her  sole  comment  on  the  boarder's 
departure,  spoken  with  a  comfortable  consciousness 
of  having  done  her  full  duty  by  him. 

"  It  was  a  very  pleasant  chapter,"  returned 
Phyllis,  looking  after  Jake  Harvey's  conveyance 
with  a  disconsolate  little  face. 

"  Yes,  he  did  very  well,"  said  Roxana.  "  I  'in 
sorry  he  could  n't  stay  longer,  for  every  little  helps 
us  to  make  both  ends  meet.  Now,  Phyllis,  let 's 
make  short  work  o'  the  dishes,  for  I  've  got  to 
hurry  to  the  parsonage  and  see  how  things  are 
goin'." 

"  Go  right  away,  if  you  like.  I  will  do  every- 
thing." 

Roxana  regarded  her  hesitatingly.  The  gravity 
of  the  girl's  face  troubled  her  a  little. 

"  Maybe  she  has  been  a  little  touched  by  him," 
she  thought.  "  Girls  will  take  freaks.  Maybe 
I've  had  about  enough  board  money  from  Mr 
Chester,  after  all." 


324  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  All  right,"  she  returned.  "  You  look  some 
down  in  the  mouth,  and  it  '11  stir  you  up  and  make 
you  feel  better  to  do  some  extra  work.  Nothin' 
like  it  for  the  blues." 

"  Roxana  is  a  good  woman,"  thought  Phyllis, 
left  alone,  and  beginning  to  clear  away  the  break- 
fast things.  "  I  wonder  if  I  shall  ever  come  to  the 
time  when  I  shall  think  as  little  about  self  as  she 
does." 

All  was  emptiness  to  Phyllis  this  morning.  She 
no  longer  desired  to  go  to  Beech  Knoll,  even  if  she 
were  invited.  She  felt  that  there  was  nothing  to 
look  forward  to,  nothing  to  mark  the  monotonous, 
uninteresting  days ;  no  spice  in  Eoxana's  society, 
truly  and  gratefully  as  she  loved  her.  There  would 
be  no  more  exchange  of  thoughts  with  Terriss 
Chester,  no  more  interviews  —  this  she  hoped,  at 
least  —  with  Mr.  Bellows. 

"  If  I  saw  him  coming  in  that  gate  now,  I  would 
run  out  by  the  back  door  and  hide,  rather  than 
meet  him,"  she  thought ;  then  she  gazed  a  little  at 
the  gate,  but  happily  no  Tony  appeared  to  drive 
her  to  that  extreme  of  inhospitality. 

"  To  think  that  he  should  be  Mrs.  Redmond's 
choice ; "  thus  her  musing  ran  as  she  moved  into 
the  kitchen,  and  filling  the  dish-pan  from  the 
steaming  kettle,  began  the  serious  business  of  the 
morning.  "  I  have  heard  her  say  she  is  older  than 
he.  No,  I  could  n't  do  that,"  shaking  her  head 
virtuously.  "  It  is  a  very  strange  choice  for  Mrs. 
Redmond."  Here  Phyllis  heaved  a  sigh.  "I 


ANYWHERE!  ANYWHERE!  325 

shall  see  no  more  of  her,  of  course.  No  doubt  they 
will  be  married  soon,  and  then  they  will  have  as 
little  use  for  their  native  land  as  other  bridal  pairs 
with  money  enough  to  leave  it." 

Phyllis  lost  herself  a  moment  in  reverie,  while 
she  turned  a  goblet  over  and  over  in  the  hot  water. 
At  last  two  great  drops  gathered  in  her  eyes,  and 
fell  with  a  splash  into  the  steaming  pan.  "  What 
have  I  to  live  for  ?  What  can  I  do  in  my  poverty 
and  obscurity  ?  Why  was  I  born  to  vegetate  in 
this  little  forgotten  corner  of  the  world  ?" 

It  was  the  climax  of  all  her  vague  longings  and 
discontent,  and  for  a  moment  she  yielded  to  it  with 
abandon  ;  but  Dr.  Joy's  and  Roxana's  love  and 
labor  had  not  been  quite  in  vain.  There  was  a 
substratum  of  solid  sense  in  Phyllis's  nature  which 
revolted  against  such  cowardly  surrender.  She 
set  her  lips  determinedly,  held  back  the  glasses 
with  one  hand,  and  with  the  other  tipped  the  dish- 
pan  until  all  the  tear-mingled  water  had  run  away ; 
then  refilled  the  pan,  washed,  scalded,  and  wiped 
the  dishes  after  Roxana's  most  approved  method, 
and  by  the  time  the  last  platter  had  been  set  in  its 
place  on  the  shelf,  she  had  regained  her  poise  and 
her  self-respect. 

"  I  will  not  be  dependent  upon  any  one,"  she 
thought,  her  eyes  shining  and  her  cheeks  glowing. 
"  I  am  Phyllis  Flower,  young,  strong,  and  well. 
I  am  glad  I  am  alive,  and  I  am  going  to  enjoy  my- 
self every  minute,  whether  I  'm  sweeping  a  room, 
or  reading  a  book,  or  taking  a  walk." 


326  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

A  sudden  thought  made  her  cheeks  flush.  "  That 
is  all  I  look  out  for,  —  that  I  shall  enjoy  myself. 
Roxana  is  n't  so,  nor  Miss  Rebecca.  Never  mind, 
I  won't  think,  nor  dissect  myself.  When  I  am 
old  as  they,  perhaps  I  shall  be  as  good.  For  the 
present,  all  I  know  is  that  I  will  not  long  to  see 
Mr.  Chester,  nor  Mrs.  Redmond,  nor  wish  to  leave 
Snowdon,  nor  wish  to  have  money.  In  short,  my 
lot  is  precisely  what  I  would  like  to  have  it." 

Phyllis  gave  a  little  independent  toss  of  her 
head  as  she  finished  her  soliloquy,  and  set  about 
restoring  order  in  the  boarder's  deserted  room. 

She  was  still  occupied  in  washing  crockery  and 
brushing  furniture,  when,  happening  to  stand  near 
an  open  window,  she  saw  Mrs.  Redmond's  carriage 
stop  at  the  door.  For  an  individual  whose  lot  left 
nothing  to  be  desired,  and  whose  state  of  mind  was 
one  of  abounding  content,  Phyllis  felt  an  astonish- 
ingly eager  start  of  pleasant  excitement. 

She  threw  down  brush  and  duster,  and  ran  down- 
stairs to  open  the  door.  Halfway  down,  she  recol- 
lected herself,  and  changed  her  headlong  rush  into 
a  subdued  walk.  "  I  am  perfectly  independent  of 
everybody,"  she  reminded  herself,  and  with  a 
strange  pang  she  remembered,  too,  that  Mrs.  Red- 
mond was  engaged  now,  and  had  probably  come 
only  to  apologize  further  for  the  disappointment 
of  yesterday.  By  the  time  the  front  door  was 
opened,  it  was  a  sedate  and  quiet  Phyllis  who 
greeted  the  caller  decorously,  and  invited  her  into 
the  parlor. 


ANYWHERE!  ANYWHERE.'  327 

"I  am  glad  to  find  you,"  said  Elise.  "I  did 
not  wish  to  be  thwarted  any  farther  this  morning ;  " 
and  she  laughed  with  a  bright,  restless  air,  unusual 
to  her. 

"  Yes,  I  am  all  alone  to-day,"  replied   Phyllis, 
"  Roxana  is  devoting  herself  to  Mr.  Terriss." 
•   "  Sister  Rebecca,  too,"  returned  Elise,  becoming 
grave.     "  Poor  man,  I  fear  there  is  little  hope,  ac- 
cording to  what  Rebecca  told  me  this  morning." 

"  His  wife  will  die,  if  he  does,"  said  Phyllis. 

"  It  is  not  so  easy  to  die,"  returned  Elise  skep- 
tically. "  So  far,  his  illness  acts  like  a  tonic  upon 
her." 

"  It  is  all  terrible,"  said  Phyllis,  feeling  pale  and 
cold,  and  wondering  why  she  had  not  thought  more 
already  about  the  sorrow  at  the  parsonage.  She 
took  a  melancholy  satisfaction  now  in  emphasiz- 
ing it, 

Elise  looked  at  her  steadily.  "Do  you  know, 
Phyllis,  what  I  do  with  trouble  when  it  is  beyond 
my  power  to  alleviate  it  ?  " 

"  Bear  it,  I  suppose." 

"  Oh,  no  indeed.     I  run  away  from  it." 

Phyllis  smiled  faintly.     "  Lucky  you,  then." 

The  color  showed  suddenly  in  Mrs.  Redmond's 
cheeks.  "  Mr.  Chester  has  gone,  has  n't  he  ?  "  she 
said  abruptly.  "  I  heard  it  in  the  village.  It  re- 
lieves me  for  some  reasons." 

*'  You  need  not  have  feared  his  troubling  you,  if 
he  had  stayed,"  burst  forth  Phyllis,  becoming 
warmly  defiant 


328  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Her  companion's  face  looked  very  girlish.  w  O 
Phyllis,  did  he  tell  you  ?  "  she  ejaculated,  leaning 
forward  with  a  self-forgetful  eagerness  of  attitude 
and  expression  which  considerably  impressed  her 
companion. 

"  He  told  me  he  could  not  stay  any  longer,"  re- 
turned the  girl  slowly. 

Elise  leaned  back,  and  the  light  died  from  her 
face.  Phyllis's  mystified  look  proved  more  clearly 
than  her  words  that  she  knew  nothing. 

"  I  dare  say,  then,  Tony  had  him  for  company 
to  town,"  she  went  on  quickly. 

"  Has  he  gone  too  ?  " 

"  Yes,  very  sensibly.  I  kept  my  room  this 
morning,  and  he  fled.  Very  likely  I  should  still 
be  an  interesting  invalid,  only,  as  I  say,  I  made  up 
my  mind  suddenly  that  Beech  Knoll,  even  Snow- 
don  itself,  was  overhung  with  trouble,  and  I  would 
run  away  from  it." 

"  You  are  really  ill,"  said  Phyllis,  looking  at 
her  closely. 

"  No  ;  only  I  did  not  sleep  much  last  night,  and 
my  little  attack  of  yesterday  has  left  its  traces.  I 
went  to  Rebecca  to  see  if  I  could  be  allowed  to 
help  nurse  Mr.  Terriss  ;  but  she  promptly  vetoed 
that  plan  so  now  for  my  alternative ;  and  I  want 
you  to  run  away  with  me,  Phyllis." 

"  Me  ?  Oh  !  "  exclaimed  Phyllis,  alert  and 
alight  at  once. 

"  You  would  like  to  ?  " 

"  But  how  could  I  leave?  " 


ANYWHERE!  ANYWHERE!  329 

Phyllis's  hands  were  unconsciously  clasped.  Mrs. 
Redmond  was  much  amused  by  her  radiant  face. 

"  Where  should  we  go  to  ? "  the  girl  asked 
breathlessly. 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Elise,  "  do  you  ?  " 

"  No,  unless  Boston." 

"No  indeed,  not  Boston,"  returned  Mrs.  Red- 
mond emphatically. 

"  Then  I  don't  know,  either,"  said  Phyllis,  smil- 
ing. "  Do  you  think  Roxana  will  let  me  go  ?  "  she 
added  eagerly. 

"  Why,  you  delicious  little  goose,  what  authority 
has  Roxaua  over  you?  When  she  returns  this 
afternoon,  simply  say  to  her,  '  As  long  as  I  cannot 
help  you  at  the  parsonage,  Roxana,  I  am  going 
away  on  a  little  trip  with  Mrs.  Redmond.' " 

"  Oh !  "  exclaimed  Phyllis,  catching  her  breath. 
"  I  have  n't  nice  enough  clothes,  —  except  my  ten- 
nis suit." 

"You  can  almost  live  in  that  wherever  we  go." 

Phyllis's  eyes  danced  gleefully.  "  I  must  con- 
fess, I  felt  a  little  lonely  this  morning.  I  expected 
to  miss  Mr.  Chester  very  much." 

"  He  did  not  expect  to  leave  so  soon,  did  he  ?  " 

"  No  ;  he  went  "  —  The  girl  became  suddenly 
grave.  "  He  went  because  he  could  n't  stay." 

Mrs.  Redmond  laughed,  not  very  merrily.  "  An 
excellent  reason,  really." 

Phyllis  eyed  her  somewhat  resentfully.  "  He 
went  because  he  was  very  unhappy,"  she  said  dis- 
tinctly. 


830  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  He  went  because  he  was  very  angry,"  returned 
Elise,  her  heart  beating  fast.  "  You  did  not  read 
him  aright,  that  is  all."  Then  she  added  gravely, 
"  Mr.  Chester  is  deeply  offended  with  me." 

"  You  misjudge  him,"  returned  Phyllis  warmly. 
"  He  is  far  from  everything  egotistical  and  narrow- 
minded." 

"  Yes,  I  think  that  too.  He  is  right  to  be  indig- 
nant with  me." 

Phyllis  looked  at  the  speaker  in  surprise  at  this 
humility.  "  I  cannot  see  it  so,"  she  returned. 
"  Had  you  not  a  perfect  right  to  prefer  Mr.  Bel- 
lows?" 

Elise  smiled.  "  You  misunderstand  me.  I 
should  be  very  sorry  to  have  you  suppose  that  I 
think  Mr.  Chester  jealous  of  my  friendship  for 
Tony." 

Her  friendship.  Phyllis  thought  this  an  odd 
way  to  speak  of  her  fiance. 

"I  cannot  explain  to  you  just  now  Mr.  Ches- 
ter's ground  for  displeasure,"  continued  Mrs.  Red 
mond.  Were  it  not  for  the  letter  she  had  written, 
she  might  have  confided  in  her  friend  ;  but  the 
reaction  from  that  rash  act  was  an  impulse  to  lock 
her  secret  closely  in  her  breast. 

Phyllis's  cheeks  began  to  redden  in  mental  de- 
fense of  Terriss.  At  last  her  feelings  drove  her 
to  expression.  "  What  you  take  for  displeasure 
is  something  very  different,  Mrs.  Redmond,"  she 
said  boldly.  "  Mr.  Chester  and  I  have  had  such  a 
good  time  together  admiring  you !  " 


ANYWHERE!  ANYWHERE!  331 

Mrs.  Redmond  flushed  suddenly  and  seemed  to 
find  nothing  amusing  in  this  naive  flattery.  The 
questioning,  expectant  look  she  bent  upon  her  com- 
panion gave  the  latter  courage  to  proceed. 

"  I  imagine  he  did  not  realize  his  own  feelings 
until  yesterday  at  your  house.  I  felt  so  sorry  for 
him  last  evening  when  he  told  me  he  must  go.  I 
feared  you  had  been  unkind  to  him ;  but  when  I 
told  him  —  I  could  n't  help  it,  Mrs.  Redmond  — 
I  told  him  I  wished  he  could  have  succeeded  in- 
stead of  Mr.  Bellows,  and  he  replied  that  he 
thanked  heaven  he  had  not  tried,  I  "  — 

Elise,  sitting  close  by  the  girl,  seized  her  wrist. 
"  How  did  you  dare ! "  she  exclaimed,  her  eyes 
flashing  with  indignation. 

Phyllis  was  frightened,  and  wished  with  a  beat- 
ing heart  that  she  had  not  spoken. 

"You  did  very,  very  wrong,"  said  Mrs.  Red- 
mond, making  an  evident  effort  to  control  herself. 

"  I  think  not,"  returned  the  gii'l  with  desperate 
courage.  "  He  was  wretched.  There  was  no  one 
else  to  say  a  kind  word  to  him." 

"  You  made  a  great  mistake.  He  was  not  un- 
happy. He  was  angry.  Did  his  reply  not  en- 
lighten you  ?  Thank  heaven  he  had  not  tried  !  " 
Mrs.  Redmond  repeated  this  in  a  hard  voice,  and 
her  blue-gray  eyes  flashed  angry  fire  upon  Phyllis, 
who  quailed,  and  wished  with  her  whole  heart  that 
she  had  not  taken  up  the  cudgels  for  Mr.  Chester. 
"  Do  you  say  you  thought  me  engaged  to  Tony 
Bellows?" 


332     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Ye  -  es,"  stammered  Phyllis,  looking  at  her 
friend  with  fascinated,  frightened  eyes. 

Mrs.  Redmond  gave  a  short  laugh  and  loosened 
her  hold  upon  the  girl's  wrist.  "  Let  this  teach 
you  a  lesson,  Phyllis.  I  am  not  engaged  to  Mr. 
Bellows.  You  were  very  foolish  to  suppose  it,  and 
wicked  to  speak  of  it." 

"  He  told  me  he  was  going  to  "  —  began  the 
girl. 

Her  companion  set  her  teeth,  and  muttered  some 
epithet  which  it  was  happy  for  Tony  he  did  not 
hear. 

Phyllis  looked  at  her  reproachfully.  "  He  held 
your  hand,"  she  said,  catching  her  breath  ;  "  I  saw 
him  kiss  it.  He  lifted  you  out  of  your  chair," 
—  she  caught  her  breath  again,  —  "  he  called  you 
Elise,"  she  sobbed,  and  burying  her  face  suddenly 
in  her  hands,  the  girl  broke  into  stifled  weeping. 

"  Phyllis,  Phyllis,  don't !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Red- 
mond. 

Excited  though  she  was,  she  felt  condemned 
for  her  own  harshness.  She  laid  her  gloved  hand 
on  the  other's  arm.  "  Please  listen  to  me,"  she 
said.  "  Don't  cry." 

Phyllis  was  excessively  ashamed  of  her  weakness, 
and  not  a  little  angry  with  her  guest  for  causing 
her  to  make  such  an  exhibition.  She  controlled 
herself  as  quickly  as  possible. 

"  I  did  not  think  of  making  you  cry,"  continued 
Mrs.  Redmond,  when  her  companion  was  quiet. 
"  It  is  always  extremely  annoying  to  me  to  know 


ANYWHERE!  ANYWHERE!  333 

that  my  affairs  are  talked  over  by  any  one,  and 
perhaps  I  am  somewhat  arrogant  in  expecting 
them  to  be  more  sacred  from  discussion  than  those 
of  other  people.  I  am  really  sorry  to  have  hurt 
your  feelings.  You  will  forgive  me,  and  think  no 
more  of  it,  won't  you  ?  " 

She  took  Phyllis's  hands,  and  looked  at  her  with 
an  expression  more  of  kindly  authority  than  of 
supplication. 

"  I  promise  not  to  scold  you  in  No  Man's  Land, 
or  wherever  we  find  ourselves  a  few  days  from 
now." 

"  Oh,  I  think  perhaps  we  had  better  reconsider 
that,"  said  Phyllis  unsteadily. 

"  Now,  Phyllis,  don't  be  resentful.  You  would 
not  be,  if  you  suspected  what  a  bitter  experience 
underlies  all  this  annoyance  of  mine.  Mr.  Chester 
is  angry  with  me  justly  enough  from  his  stand- 
point, so  you  see  it  was  somewhat  trying  to  me 
to  learn  that  you  had  been  wishing  to  give  me  to 
him." 

There  was  simply  no  resisting  the  smile  with 
which  Elise  added  this. 

"  Then  does  n't  it  matter  that  I  made  him  be- 
lieve you  were  going  to  marry  Mr.  Bellows  ?  " 
asked  Phyllis,  mollified  but  doubtful. 

Mrs.  Redmond  blushed  desperately.  She  was 
thinking  how  soon  Terriss  would  know  that  report 
to  be  false. 

"  Nothing  matters,"  she  said  hastily,  "  so  that  we 
go  away  quickly.  I  am  a  woman  of  one  idea,  you 


334     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

see.  Could  you  be  ready  in  time  for  the  early 
morning  train  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no,  really  I  'm  afraid  I  could  n't,"  said 
Phyllis,  dismayed  at  the  idea. 

"  The  next  morning  at  farthest,  then,"  said  Mrs. 
Redmond,  rising.  "  You  will  hear  from  me  to- 
morrow again." 

Chester  would  hardly  report  in  person  so  soon 
as  to-morrow,  even  if  all  were  as  she  wished  it. 
At  any  rate,  the  risk  must  be  run.  She  wanted 
Phyllis  very  much  as  companion  and  shield  from 
her  own  thoughts,  and  she  would  wait  for  her. 

Late  that  afternoon,  when  Roxaua  returned, 
Phyllis  had  some  ado  to  draw  her  face  into  a  suit- 
able expression  to  greet  the  tired  look  the  house- 
keeper had  brought  from  the  parsonage.  There 
was  no  especial  change  in  Mr.  Terriss'  condition, 
so  Roxana  said. 

She  seemed  disinclined  to  talk,  as  though  the 
sorrow  she  had  left  still  weighed  upon  her  spirit. 

Phyllis  insisted  upon  her  remaining  seated  in  a 
rocking-chair  while  she  made  tea  and  set  the  sup- 
per-table. She  found  it  somewhat  difficult  to 
approach  the  subject  uppermost  in  her  mind,  and 
uncomfortable  misgivings  assailed  her  as  to  the 
propriety  of  leaving  Roxana  to  come  home  tired 
to  an  empty  house  after  her  fatiguing  neighborly 
offices.  Certainly  no  such  airy  announcement  as 
Mrs.  Redmond  had  suggested  was  possible  now. 

"  And  how  have  you  got  on  all  day  by  your- 
self ?  "  inquired  Roxana,  her  head  leaning  back 


ANYWHERE!  ANYWHERE!  335 

against  the  old  chintz  cushion,  while  she  watched 
the  girl's  neat  movements  about  the  table  with  a 
sense  of  satisfaction. 

"  Oh,  I  have  accomplished  a  good  deal.  "When 
you  go  upstairs  to  the  spare  room,  you  will  believe 
Mr.  Chester's  visit  to  have  been  a  dream.  Mrs. 
Redmond  has  been  here  to  see  me,  too." 

"  H'm.     What  'd  she  have  to  say  ?  " 

"  She  thinks  of  going  away  for  a  trip." 

"  Where  now  ?  "  inquired  Roxana  dryly. 

"  She  is  n't  sure." 

"  H'm.  Anythin'  so  she  keeps  goin',  I  s'pose. 
A  pity  she  could  n't  change  places  with  the  Wan- 
derin'  Jew." 

This  was  not  encouraging.  Phyllis  had  thought 
her  request  well-nigh  introduced,  but  now  it  looked 
as  remote  as  ever. 

"  I  wish  there  was  something  I  could  do  to  help 
you,  Roxana,  so  you  wouldn't  get  so  tired,"  she  re- 
marked. 

"  Oh,  a  good  healthy  tired  ain't  anythin'  to  be 
afraid  of,"  returned  Mrs.  Sherritt.  "  I  'm  bein' 
lazy  now  just  because  it 's  a  pleasure  to  see  you  so 
handy  about  things,  Phyllis.  The  only  thing  that 
bothers  me  is,  I  s'pose  1 11  have  to  do  night  work 
before  this  sickness  o'  Mr.  Terriss'  ends  one  way 
or  the  other.  I  don't  want  you  should  stay  alone 
in  the  house  nights.  I  was  calc'latin'  to  ask  Miss 
Rebecca  if  you  could  n't  sleep  awhile  at  Beech 
Knoll.  I  guess  you  could  anyway,  even  if  Mrs. 
Redmond  does  go  traipsin'  off." 


336  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Phyllis  paused  with  the  bread-knife  halfway 
down  through  the  loaf,  and  the  bright,  eager  look 
returned  to  her  face. 

"  Oh,  Roxana,  she  has  invited  me  to  go  with 
her !  "  she  said. 

"I  want  to  know,"  returned  Mrs.  Sherritt. 
"  Why  did  n't  you  say  so  ?  " 

"  It  seemed  selfish  to  go  and  leave  you  to  get 
your  own  tea." 

"  And  you  want  to  go,  I  see,"  said  Roxana,  smil- 
ing musingly.  "  You  're  just  dyin'  to  accept  an 
invitation  to  go  off  to  nowhere  in  partic'lar." 

Phyllis  did  not  reply,  but  she  looked  question- 
ingly  at  the  housekeeper,  and  the  knife  remained 
motionless  in  the  loaf. 

"  For  how  long,  I  wonder  ?  "  asked  Roxana. 

"  I  don't  know.  I  think  not  for  long.  Would 
you  care,  Roxana  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you  can  go.  You  're  under  foot  just  now," 
was  the  careless  response  ;  but  that  evening,  after 
the  tea  things  were  put  away,  Mrs.  Sherritt  ap- 
proached the  girl  and  gave  her  a  long  hug.  Rox- 
ana's  caresses  were  at  best  somewhat  trying  to 
endure,  her  bony  structure  not  being,  one  might 
say,  comfortably  upholstered  ;  but  Phyllis  knew 
what  they  meant,  and  bore  them  when  they  came 
not  only  with  good  grace  but  appreciatively.  Mrs. 
Sherritt  might  declare  carelessly  that  she  was  en- 
tirely superfluous,  but  Phyllis  well  knew  that  the 
very  light  of  day  would  be  clouded  for  the  good 
woman  until  her  return. 


ANYWHERE!  ANYWHERE!  337 

"  I  'm  goin'  to  run  over  to  the  parsonage  once 
more,  Phyllis,  before  I  go  to  bed.  I  won't  be 
long.  I  'm  kinder  uneasy  not  to  see  'em  fixed  for 
the  night,"  she  said,  releasing  her. 

"  But  it  is  raining,  Roxana,  and  dark  as  pitch." 
"  Oh,  I  '11  take  the  lantern.     You  go  to  bed,  if 
you  want  to.     I  '11  take  the  key  to  the  back  door. 
Good-by  till  I  see  you  again." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

OUT   OF   THE   WORLD. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  same  day,  when  Roxana 
reached  the  parsonage  she  had  found  matters  in  a 
sad  condition.  The  sick  man's  ravings  continued, 
and  his  wife  could  not  be  kept  from  his  side. 
Mrs.  Sherritt,  when  she  entered  the  room,  saw 
Mrs.  Terriss,  deathly  pale,  at  the  foot  of  the  bed, 
her  great  burning  eyes  fixed  on  her  husband's  face. 
Miss  Redmond  was  moving  about  noiselessly  as  a 
spirit,  fulfilling  the  various  requirements  of  her 
office,  and  Roxana  looked  at  her  in  amazement, 
and  with  some  remorse  at  the  thought  that  she 
had  coerced  her  into  a  position  of  such  unique  dis- 
comfort and  difficulty. 

"  This  is  martyrdom,"  she  thought,  as  the  plead- 
ing voice  of  the  minister  murmured  on  in  words 
which,  if  Miss  Redmond  were  not  become  wholly 
indifferent,  must  pierce  her  soul,  while  the  wife 
listened,  bending  her  searching  glance  first  on  her 
husband,  then  furtively  on  his  nurse. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  determined  to  bring  the  dreadful 
scene  to  an  end.  "Mrs.  Terriss,"  she  said, in  a 
lowered  voice,  coming  close  to  her,  "  I  'm  here  to 
give  you  and  Miss  Rebecca  a  rest.  You  must 
both  go  out  of  here  now  and  lay  down." 


OUT   OF  THE    WORLD.  339 

"Miss  Rebecca  can  go,"  returned  the  other 
quietly. 

Roxana  exchanged  a  few  words  with  Miss  Red- 
mond, then  the  latter  left  the  room. 

Mrs.  Terriss  looked  at  Roxana  with  a  smile 
which  sent  an  unpleasant  creeping  sensation  down 
the  latter' s  spine. 

"You  think  still  this  raving  is  nonsense,  as 
meaningless  as  the  wind  that  blows  ?  "  she  asked, 
pointing  at  her  husband. 

"  Come,  now,  Mrs.  Terriss,  you  're  tired  out," 
said  Roxana  soothingly.  "  Do  hear  to  me  and  go 
and  lay  down  !  " 

"  No,  this  is  not  meaningless.  Philip  is  saying 
what  he  feels,  perhaps  for  the  first  time  in  twenty 
years,"  continued  the  other  unheedingly,  her  scorch- 
ing gaze  on  the  unconscious  face. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  had  never  suspected  that  she  pos- 
sessed nerves,  but  her  hands  grew  unsteady  now. 

"  Dear  me,"  she  returned  coaxingly.  "  Don't  it 
prove  you  're  all  wrong  that  Miss  Rebecca  can 
stand  it  ?  Look  how  calm  and  collected  she  is 
the  whole  time." 

"  I  do  not  know  if  she  loves  him,"  returned  the 
quiet,  cold  voice,  "  but  he  loves  her." 

"  Now  Mrs.  Terriss,  you  're  just  overstrained. 
Look  back  along  the  years.  What  have  Mr.  Ter- 
riss' actions  been  ?  What  has  he  done  ?  " 

The  other  nodded  slowly.  "  I  know  what  he 
has  done,  —  know  it  for  the  first  time.  I  know 
—  I  know." 


340  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"You  must  go  and  rest,"  said  Roxana  desper- 
ately. "  You  've  got  to  do  it.  You  '11  be  down 
sick,  too." 

The  great  black  eyes  rolled  heavily  toward  her. 

"  I  will  go,"  was  the  quiet  reply. 

Roxana  led  her  into  the  adjoining  room. 

"  Will  you  lie  on  the  lounge  ?  " 

"  Anywhere." 

Mrs.  Sherritt  covered  her  carefully,  and  then 
returned  to  the  sick-room,  a  painful  pulling  at  her 
heartstrings. 

After  an  absence  of  several  hours,  Miss  Red- 
mond came  back. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  accosted  her  anxiously. 

"  You  have  n't  had  rest  enough.  Go  back,  Miss 
Rebecca.  Sleep  longer,  if  you  can.  I  'm  goin'  to 
stay  here  all  day.  The  night  's  enough  for  you. 
I  '11  relieve  you  o'  that  work,  later." 

Rebecca,  after  some  demur,  obeyed,  and  Roxana 
all  the  afternoon  passed  in  and  out  between  Mr. 
Terriss'  room  and  the  sitting-room  where  his  wife 
lay.  Mrs.  Terriss  did  not  ask  again  to  visit  her 
husband.  Once  when  Roxana  went  out  she  found 
her  standing  by  the  window,  where  a  slow  driz- 
zling rain  was  beginning  to  beat  against  the  pane. 

"  How  long  the  day  is,"  she  said,  turning  her 
colorless  face  toward  Mrs.  Sherritt.  "  It  seems  as 
though  night  would  never  come." 

"  You  can't  sleep  in  the  daytime  ?  "  asked  Rox- 
ana kindly.  "  O'  course  you  sleep  better  at 
night?" 


OUT  OF  THE   WORLD.  341 

Mrs.  Terriss  turned  back  to  the  window.  "  1 
shall  to-night,"  she  replied. 

It  was  five  o'clock  when  Roxana  at  last  gave 
back  her  charge  into  Miss  Redmond's  hands.  She 
left  the  parsonage  with  great  reluctance.  It  seemed 
a  terrible  thing  to  leave  Rebecca  to  work  and  en- 
dure alone.  Mrs.  Sherritt  was  thankful  that  the 
latter  did  not  seem  to  suspect  Mrs.  Terriss'  changed 
state. 

Roxana  ate  her  supper  and  had  her  talk  with 
Phyllis,  but  she  could  not  put  from  her  mind  the 
despairing  sorrow  and  the  unmurmuring  martyr- 
dom she  had  witnessed  to-day.  Her  uneasiness 
grew  instead  of  abating,  and  she  felt  that  she 
could  not  go  to  rest  to-night  without  one  more 
sight  of  the  arrangements  at  the  parsonage  ;  so,  as 
was  said  above,  she  lighted  her  lantern,  for  the 
evening  was  dark  and  still  rainy,  and  set  forth. 

There  was  a  desolate  chill  in  the  air  as  of  un- 
timely autumn,  and  Roxana  wished  she  had  worn 
a  warmer  wrap,  but  she  moved  sturdily  along  to 
hasten  her  circulation,  and  began  to  calculate  the 
advisability  of  a  stove  in  Mr.  Terriss'  room. 

When  more  than  half  the  distance  to  the  par- 
sonage had  been  traversed,  suddenly  a  muffled 
figure  approached  her  from  the  darkness,  made 
blacker  by  the  circle  of  light  around  her  own  feet. 

"  Could  you  tell  me,"  it  said  breathlessly, 
"  the  way  to  the  bridge,  —  what  they  call  the  old 
bridge  ?  " 

"  There 's  quite  a  number  o'  bridges,"  replied 


342  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Eoxana,  startled.  "  You  ain't  more  'n  a  block 
from  one  o'  them  now,  right  down  that  street 
there.  Did  you  want  to  cross  to  Highfield?  be- 
cause if  you  do  "  — 

But  she  was  talking  to  the  heavy,  rain-beaten 
air.  The  shrouded  figure,  with  a  stifled  cry,  had 
sped  away  in  the  dai'kness. 

Roxana  stood  still,  mystified  and  amazed. 
"  What  poor  crazy  thing  was  that?  "  she  queried, 
starting  again  on  her  walk.  "  I  guess,  by  the  way 
she  cried  out,  I  scared  her  more  'n  she  did  me." 

Her  sturdy,  even  tread  had  carried  her  several 
rods  when,  cogitating  on  her  surprising  encounter, 
a  horrible  thought  suddenly  struck  her. 

Many  years  had  elapsed  since  Mrs.  Sherritt 
had  supposed  she  could  run ;  but  she  turned  and 
ran  now,  —  ran  with  the  nightmare  sensation  of  one 
in  a  dream,  who  feels,  despite  all  strain  and  effort, 
that  he  is  making  no  progress.  Turning  down 
the  street  she  had  indicated  to  the  stranger,  she 
stumbled  headlong  over  the  road,  swinging  her 
lantern  aloft  to  fling  the  light  ahead.  Joy !  She 
saw  the  fluttering  cloak  just  approaching  the 
bridge.  She  strained  every  nerve,  and  with  a  last 
leap  caught  the  figure  in  her  arms.  It  turned  and 
struggled  with  her,  —  struggled  with  wonderful, 
desperate  strength.  Roxana's  breath  was  gone. 
The  lantern  fell  to  the  ground  and  rolled  on  its  side. 
She  contented  herself  with  merely  hanging  her 
weight  upon  the  miserable  creature,  who  beat  and 
buffeted  her  to  get  free.  At  last,  exhausted,  the 


OUT   OF   THE    WORLD.  343 

stranger  ceased  her  efforts.  "  How  dare  you  stop 
me!"  she  gasped  with  laboring  breath.  "Let 
me  go." 

"  Never,  Mrs.  Terriss,  never.  Thank  God !  " 
panted  Roxana. 

"  O  cruel,  wicked  woman !  "  cried  the  other,  with 
a  faint,  last  struggle ;  "  why  should  you  thwart 
me?  I  have  only  this  left." 

"  You  have  all  eternity,"  exclaimed  Roxana. 
"  You  can't  die  even  if  you  want  to.  Throw  your- 
self into  the  river,  and  what  then?  A  change  o' 
worlds.  You  '11  have  the  same  heart,  the  same 
mind,  the  same  self  there  as  here.  You  would  n't 
go  uninvited  into  a  lady's  parlor.  Would  you 
force  yourself  unasked  into  the  presence  o'  the 
King  o'  kings  ?  O  Mrs.  Terriss,  thank  God  with 
me  for  his  mercy  in  sendin'  me  to  save  you.  For 
Christ's  sake,  see  the  truth.  You  ain't  through 
yet  with  what  's  been  set  for  you  to  do.  When 
you  are,  He  '11  take  you.  Poor  dear !  poor  dear ! 
Things  would  n't  be  made  plain  if  you  went  now. 
Wait  for  your  time,  and  they  will  be." 

With  a  bitter  groan  the  wretched  woman  hid 
her  face  on  Roxana's  shoulder,  and  the  latter 
caressed  her  with  whole-souled  loving-kindness. 

"You're  chilled  to  the  bone  and  shiverin'. 
Come  home,  and  we  '11  fix  you  warm  and  comfort- 
able. Your  head  's  kinder  turned  with  all  you  've 
been  through,  but  it  '11  come  out  all  right.  We 
have  n't  taken  enough  care  of  you.  You  've  got 
lots  o'  good  friends,  and  plenty  to  live  for." 


344  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Roxana  picked  up  the  lantern,  and  with  one  arm 
around  the  trembling  form,  the  two  began  their 
difficult  progress.  After  a  long  and  weary  effort, 
they  reached  the  house,  and  then  Mrs.  Sherritt 
commenced  her  active  labors.  She  actually  carried 
Mrs.  Terriss  up  the  narrow  staircase,  and  calling 
Lucindy  to  bring  hot  mustard  water,  made  up  a 
Tbed  with  well-aired  sheets,  and  soon  placed  the 
sufferer  within.  Mrs.  Terris's  teeth  chattered  in 
a  severe  chill,  and  Roxana  was  thankful  to  remem- 
ber that  Phyllis  was  going  away,  for  the  parson- 
age now  needed  another  pair  of  hands  and  feet. 
She  gave  Lucindy  explicit  directions,  and  then 
went  down  to  the  minister's  room,  where  all  was 
still. 

Rebecca  was  sitting  at  the  foot  of  the  bed,  her 
head  leaning  against  the  framework.  She  looked 
up  at  the  slight  sound  Mrs.  Sherritt  made,  and 
came  noiselessly  out  where  she  beckoned. 

"  He  is  quiet,"  she  said.  "  What  has  been  go- 
ing on  ?  I  heard  Lucindy  talking.  How  did  you 
happen  to  come  back  ?  " 

"  I  wanted  to  see  that  you  was  all  fixed  for  the 
night,  and  it 's  a  good  thing  I  did,  for  Mrs.  Terriss 
has  had  a  pretty  bad  chill.  I  've  fixed  her  up- 
stairs. I  think  she  's  asleep  now.  Have  the  doc- 
tor see  her  when  he  comes.  I  '11  get  over  as  soon 
as  I  can  to-morrow.  Good-night,  Miss  Rebecca, 
these  are  times,  ain't  they !  " 

She  took  Miss  Rebecca's  hands  in  her  hard  ones 
that  still  trembled.  Rebecca  seemed  to  her  like 


OUT   OF  THE    WORLD.  345 

some  high  saint  in  her  unconsciousness  of  the 
stormy  passions  that  had  seethed  near  her  all  the 
day.  The  latter  returned  Mrs.  Sherritt's  look 
earnestly. 

"  Times  that  are  only  to  be  lived  through  by 
looking  upward,"  she  replied.  "  I  remind  myself 
often  of  those  lines  we  always  liked,  Roxaua.  You 
remember,  — 

' '  With  us  is  prayer, 
And  joy,  and  strength,  and  courage  are  -with  Thee.'  " 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

NATURE   AND   ART. 

PHYLLIS  waked  the  next  morning  to  a  conscious- 
ness that  something  delightful  was  in  the  air.  For 
a  confused  moment,  Mr.  Bellows'  smiling  image 
audaciously  intruded  itself  upon  her  attention. 
She  considered  it  a  moment  with  a  new  tolerance  ; 
then,  in  a  flash,  she  remembered.  Mrs.  Redmond 
had  invited  her  away,  and  she  was  going.  If  the 
idea  had  seemed  pleasant  when  it  was  first  sug- 
gested, now  it  was  entrancing.  Phyllis  thought  it 
was  really  wonderful  what  a  load  was  lifted  from 
her  mind  by  the  discovery  that  her  charming 
friend  was  not  going  to  make  so  unsuitable  a 
match. 

Soon  after  breakfast,  Mrs.  Redmond's  coachman 
drove  up  in  a  buggy,  bringing  a  note  which  sunv 
moned  the  girl  to  Beech  Knoll,  and  she  hurriedly 
prepared  herself  for  the  drive. 

"  Keep  your  head  steady,  Phyllis,"  warned  Rox- 
ana.  "  Like  as  not  Mrs.  Redmond  's  given  up  the 
whole  thing.  You  can't  depend  on  a  highty -tighty 
person  like  that." 

"  Oh,  my  head  is  steady,"  returned  the  girl,  run- 
ning outdoors  and  stepping  into  the  buggy.  She 
did  not  believe  that  Mrs.  Redmond  had  relin- 


NATURE  AND  ART.  347 

quished  her  plan,  and  waited  hopefully  for  further 
developments. 

The  neatness  and  quiet  elegance  of  the  Beech 
Knoll  grounds  struck  her  afresh,  as  the  buggy 
turned  in  at  the  gate.  It  was  strange  that  the  mis- 
tress of  it  all  cared  to  leave  it.  Phyllis  was  ush- 
ered into  the  little  apartment  which  was  Mrs.  Red- 
mond's favorite  sitting-room,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
a  footfall  sounded  at  the  door.  She  turned  and 
saw,  not  her  hostess,  but  Miss  Jones,  the  village 
seamstress,  and  the  very  individual  who  had  taken 
such  a  vital  interest  in  Beech  Knoll  in  the  days 
previous  to  the  appearance  of  its  owner. 

"  "Well,  Phyllis  Flower,"  she  said,  holding  up 
both  hands,  her  wiry  little  curls  trembling  from 
her  emphatic  speech,  "  if  you  have  n't  fallen  on 
your  feet,  goin'  off  with  Mrs.  Redmond,  and  she 
so  pleased  with  you,  and  —  Oh,  here  she  is." 

Mrs.  Redmond  appeared,  smiling  a  good-morn- 
ing ;  over  her  arm  was  a  mass  of  white  lace  and 
ribbons.  "  We  start  to-morrow  morning,  Phyl- 
lis ?  "  she  said  interrogatively. 

"  Yes,"  assented  the  girl  joyfully. 

"  We  are  going  to  a  little  resort  I  know  of,  not 
too  fashionable.  I  went  there  sometimes  when  I 
was  a  school-girl.  You  will  want  one  evening 
dress.  Here  it  is." 

"  O  Mrs.  Redmond,  I  can't  take  your  dress !  " 
exclaimed  Phyllis,  her  forehead  crimsoning. 

"  I  told  you  how  it  would  be,  Miss  Jones," 
remarked  Elise,  with  a  smile  and  a  shrug. 


THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Phyllis  Flower,  don't  you  go  to  flyin'  in  the 
face  o'  Providence,"  ejaculated  the  spinster,  upon 
whose  susceptibilities  Mrs.  Redmond  had  played 
with  her  usual  skill.  "  Here  's  a  new  dress,  Miss 
Redmond  hain't  never  had  on  her  back,  and  she 
don't  want  it,  and  there  ain't  time  to  make  you  a 
new  one,  not  if  you  had  all  the  mines  o'  Golcondy 
to  pay  for  it  with.  Do  you  just  take  off  your 
frock,  and  say  thank  you,  too." 

Mrs.  Redmond  met  her  friend's  troubled  eyes 
with  a  little  reassuring  nod  and  smile.  "  It  is  all 
right,  Phyllis,  you  are  my  guest." 

"  Yes,  but  "  —  Phyllis  was  hesitating,  when 
Miss  Jones  pounced  upon  her  and  began  unfasten- 
ing her  dress,  just  as  she  had  done  in  exasperating 
moments  of  the  girl's  fractious  childhood,  when  it 
was  a  work  of  much  coaxing  to  prevail  upon  her 
to  be  fitted. 

One  thing  was  certain :  Miss  Jones  would  not 
start  any  unpleasant  gossip  concerning  a  transac- 
tion which  she  herself  forwarded  so  vigorously. 
Elise,  the  far-sighted,  had  counted  on  that. 

Of  course,  Phyllis  yielded.  The  filmy  lace  and 
the  sheen  of  silk  dazzled  her  imagination.  Mrs. 
Redmond's  kind  tact  soothed  her  scruples,  and, 
more  wonderful  still,  this  self-same  tact  governed 
Miss  Jones,  who  submitted,  lamb-like,  to  follow 
Mrs.  Redmond's  instructions  in  making  the  neces- 
sary changes  in  the  gown,  and  by  evening  it  was 
reposing  safely  in  Phyllis's  little  trunk,  where  the 
best  of  the  young  girl's  earthly  possessions  were 
packed,  ready  for  the  start. 


NATURE  AND  ART.  349 

Perhaps  in  all  Mrs.  Redmond's  varied  wander- 
ings, she  had  never  been  more  entertained  thaii 
during  this  short  journey  with  Phyllis.  At  first 
the  young  girl's  silence  and  gravity  disappointed 
her ;  but  she  soon  found  that  this  manner  only  in- 
dicated an  extreme  enjoyment  of  a  total  novelty. 
She  declined  all  offers  of  light  literature  with  scarce 
concealed  impatience.  She  could  read  at  home. 
Now  the  panorama  displayed  through  the  broad 
windows  enchanted  her. 

Arrived  in  Boston,  Mrs.  Redmond  gave  her 
guest  a  lunch,  the  daintiness  of  which  even  Phyl- 
lis's  uncultivated  palate  dimly  appreciated.  She 
found  herself  looking  around  at  the  various  tables 
in  search  of  Mr.  Bellows ;  fearing,  of  course,  not 
hoping,  that  he  might  stray  in  here  this  August 
day.  Again  she  realized  what  a  relief  it  was  to 
find  that  Mrs.  Redmond  was  not  intending  to 
marry  so  unsuitable  a  man.  Beautiful  Mrs.  Red- 
mond, with  her  quiet  air  of  experience  and  com- 
mand !  Phyllis  looked  at  her,  and  fell  more  than 
ever  under  the  spell  of  her  charm,  which  communi- 
cated itself  to  every  article  she  touched,  used,  or 
wore. 

At  last  the  girl  looked  up  from  the  discussion  of 
some  delicious  form  of  frozen  cream.  "  Now 
please  tell  me,  where  are  we  going?"  she  said. 

"  Do  you  really  wish  to  know?  " 

"  Yes,  only  the  name  of  the  place." 

"  We  are  going  to  Deep  Lake.'' 

"  How  cool  it  sounds ! "  observed  Phyllis  with 
satisfaction. 


350  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  And  it  is  cool,  and  very  pretty.  It  will  be 
rather  late  when  we  arrive,  but  I  know  exactly 
what  we  shall  see  from  our  windows  to-morrow 
morning.  I  could  not  get  the  rooms  I  wanted. 
My  freak  came  too  suddenly." 

"Oh,  they  know  you  are  coming,  then?"  re- 
plied Phyllis. 

"  Yes,  indeed.  It  would  not  do  to  risk  having 
no  place  to  lay  our  heads." 

"  How  thoughtful  you  are !  "  said  Phyllis  simply. 

Mrs.  Redmond  smiled.  "  What  did  people  do 
before  telegraphing  was  discovered,  I  wonder  ? 
They  certainly  could  not  carry  out  their  caprices 
as  comfortably  as  we  are  doing." 

"  We  are  very  comfortable,"  replied  Phyllis  ear- 
nestly, lifting  to  her  lips  a  frozen  cherry,  and  wish- 
ing Roxaiia  could  taste  it. 

It  was  too  dark  when  the  train  stopped  that 
evening  at  the  lonely  station  for  Phyllis  to  gain 
any  idea  of  the  landscape.  As  they  stepped  from 
the  car,  she  saw  only  the  little  square  wooden 
building  which  did  duty  for  a  depot.  Beyond  and 
about  it,  all  seemed  to  be  woods  and  rolling  fields, 
A  long  open  stage  was  backed  against  the  plat- 
form, and  into  this  they  climbed,  and  the  horses 
started. 

"  Deep  Lake  again,"  said  Elise.  "  I  wonder  if 
it  has  changed  as  much  as  I  have  in  all  these 
years." 

"  Up,  up,  up,"  observed  Phyllis,  referring  to 
their  road,  when,  after  a  long  pull,  the  horses 


NATURE  AND  ART.  351 

stopped  to  rest.  "  I  should  think  the  lake  might 
be  deep.'' 

"  Oh,  smell  the  grass ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Red- 
mond. "•  They  must  have  been  mowing  this  field. 
The  aftermath  is  the  sweetest  of  harvests." 

Phyllis  breathed  the  night  air  with  tranquil  sat- 
isfaction. "  Very  nice,  but  it  only  smells  like 
Snowdon." 

"  Only  !  "  repeated  Mrs.  Redmond.  "  Wait  till 
you  have  roamed  about  as  much  as  I  have.  Then 
you  will  know  that  this  world  offers  nothing  so 
restful  as  just  this  sort  of  soft  summer  night,  with 
all  its  chirping  insect  sounds,  and  the  pure,  life- 
giving  fragrance  of  new-mown  hay  permeating  the 
air.  How  it  mingles  with  the  scent  of  firs  !  Yes, 
this  is  a  little  better  even  than  Snowdon,  Phyllis," 
and  Mrs.  Redmond  took  deep  breaths  of  delight 
as  the  horses  moved  on. 

They  went,  after  a  time,  at  a  good  pace  along  a 
level  road,  for  they  had  a  light  load  with  only  the 
two  ladies  for  passengers.  At  last  the  gleam  of  a 
white  painted  fence  showed  through  the  dusk. 

"  Here  we  are,"  remarked  Elise. 

The  horses  knew  it,  too.  Nearly  home  after 
the  last  trip  of  the  day,  they  turned  in  at  the  open- 
ing in  the  white  fence,  and  sped  up  an  avenue  lined 
with  tall  trees  ;  and  soon  lights  began  to  glimmer 
and  music  to  sound  on  the  sweet  air.  It  seemed 
all  a  dream  to  Phyllis :  the  arrival,  the  pleasure  of 
the  landlady  at  discovering  in  Mrs.  Redmond  the 
Miss  Beckwith  of  bygone  summers,  the  moving 


352  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

through  a  laughing,  talking  bevy  of  people  on  the 
piazzas,  the  ascent  to  the  bedrooms.  Her  eyes 
looked  very  bright  in  her  flushed  face  when  she 
stood  alone  with  Mrs.  Redmond  in  the  latter's 
apartment. 

"  Well,  here  we  are,"  remarked  Elise. 

"  Just  listen  to  that  music,"  was  Phyllis's  reply. 

"  Pretty,  is  n't  it  ?  "  assented  Mrs.  Redmond. 
'*  You  will  have  the  benefit  of  it  even  more  in  your 
room,"  and  she  threw  open  the  door  of  the  adjoin- 
ing apartment. 

Phyllis  hurried  to  the  open  window  and  listened. 
The  little  orchestra  was  performing  selections  from 
a  popular  light  opera,  and  through  the  windows  of 
the  assembly  room  across  a  narrow  driveway,  she 
could  dimly  perceive  the  dancers  who  were  moving 
through  a  quadrille  to  its  strains.  It  was  all  won- 
derful and  strange  to  Phyllis.  After  the  long- 
drive  under  the  starlight  through  the  stillness  of 
the  fields  and  the  dense  woods,  this  sudden  discov- 
ery of  the  crowd  of  gay  folk  amidst  the  light  and 
the  music  seemed  to  her  like  enchantment. 

Mrs.  Redmond  came  to  the  door.  She  felt  tired 
after  the  heat  of  the  day  and  the  long  ride,  albeit 
infinitely  relieved  and  safe,  and  was  about  to  con- 
dole with  her  guest  upon  the  disturbance  outside 
which  might,  for  a  time,  hinder  them  from  sleep- 
ing ;  but  one  glance  at  Phyllis's  starry  face  and 
listening  attitude  silenced  her.  She  turned  back 
into  her  room  with  a  smile.  Condolences  were 
evidently  not  in  order. 


NATURE  AND  ART.  353 

Phyllis  had  no  idea  at  what  hour  the  exhilarat- 
ing music  ceased,  nor  when  at  last  she  fell  asleep, 
so  subtly  were  her  dreams  joined  to  the  pleasant, 
novel,  waking  sensations  which  preceded  them. 

She  had  a  vague  expectation,  upon  opening  her 
eyes  the  following  morning,  that  the  same  music, 
the  same  stir  and  bustle  of  a  gay  crowd,  would  be 
filling  the  air.  She  was  astonished  to  see  the  sun- 
shine, turned  in  her  bed  with  a  start,  and  listened. 
What  perfect  stillness  !  a  stillness  noticeable  even 
to  Snowdon  ears.  A  couple  of  months  earlier,  how 
the  robins  and  thrushes  and  catbirds  sing  at  Deep 
Lake  at  this  hour  of  early  morning ;  but  now  only 
an  occasional  note  sounds  here  and  there. 

Phyllis  sprang  out  of  bed  and  hurried  to  the 
window.  Before  her  lay  a  long,  gently  declining 
hillside,  covered  with  soft  grass  and  fine  old  trees, 
and  at  the  foot,  Deep  Lake  itself  sparkled  quietly 
in  the  morning  sunshine.  The  lovely  sheet  of 
water  lay,  as  it  were,  in  an  irregular  green  bowl, 
the  edges  of  which  were  high,  tree-covered  hills. 
The  girl  stifled  the  exclamation  of  pleasure  which 
rose  to  her  lips  out  of  regard  for  her  friend,  whose 
door  stood  ajar. 

"  But  why  is  not  every  one  out  looking  at  this 
view  ?  "  she  queried  mentally,  her  eyes  feasting  on 
the  undulating  line  of  distant  forests  and  the  vary- 
ing greens  which  a  rainy  season  had  preserved  in 
almost  June-like  freshness. 

Her  room  looked  south  and  west,  and  from  both 
sides  she  could  distinguish  the  roofs  of  cottages 


354  THE   MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

among  the  trees.  "  It  is  quite  a  village,  after  all," 
she  thought  innocently,  having  yet  to  learn  the 
ways  of  summer  resorts,  and  that  these  little 
abodes  were  adjuncts  of  the  hotel. 

Presently  a  rheumatic  old  bell,  out  of  sight  on 
some  adjacent  building,  commenced  to  ring  labori- 
ously, a  prefatory  creak  of  its  ancient  joints  pre- 
ceding each  clang  of  its  tongue. 

"  The  rising  bell,"  thought  Phyllis  with  satisfac- 
tion. "  Now  I  shall  soon  see  all  the  people  again." 
She  dressed  herself,  wondering  somewhat  that  the 
appointments  of  her  room  were  as  little  luxurious 
as  those  of  her  own  apartment  at  home,  and  ques- 
tioning how  Mrs.  Redmond  could  endure  such 
privations.  It  was  another  of  the  many  things 
Phyllis  had  to  learn,  that  in  summer  time  persons 
of  wealth  run,  like  a  stampeding  flock  of  sheep, 
away  from  their  accustomed  comforts,  and  spend 
their  money  on  annoying  inconveniences  for  a 
stated  length  of  time,  which,  if  it  be  for  the  pur- 
pose of  augmenting  an  appreciation  of  home,  cer- 
tainly serves  its  end. 

She  was  quite  disappointed  that,  even  when  her 
toilet  was  completed,  there  was  no  sound  of  stir- 
ring in  her  neighbor's  room.  There  began  to  be 
a  banging  of  doors  about  the  hotel,  and  an  occa- 
sional loud  voice  on  the  verandas.  She  unpacked 
her  trunk,  touching  with  a  new  reverence  and 
exultation  the  white  dress.  Perhaps  some  even- 
ing she,  clothed  in  its  beauty,  would  be  one  of  the 
figures  in  that  enchanted  scene  which  last  night 
she  had  dimly  perceived. 


NATURE  AND  ART.  355 

Her  trunk  was  empty  before  she  heard  her 
name  sleepily  pronounced  in  the  adjoining  room. 
She  hurried  to  the  door. 

"  What  are  you  doing  in  there?"  asked  Mrs. 
Redmond. 

"  I  have  just  finished  unpacking." 

"  It  is  a  shame  we  could  not  get  into  a  cottagCo 
This  house  always  was  the  noisiest  place  in  the 
world.  I  am  too  cross  to  say  good-morning." 

"  Did  I  disturb  you  ?  "  asked  Phyllis,  dismayed. 

"  You  ?  No,  indeed.  You  must  have  been 
very  quiet ;  but  why  did  you  get  up  with  the 
lark?" 

"  Why,  it  is  late,"  said  Phyllis  earnestly.  "  The 
rising  bell  rang  ever  and  ever  so  long  ago." 

Mrs.  Redmond  smiled  and  drew  her  watch  from 
under  her  pillow.  "  The  rising  bell  for  the  labor- 
ing class,  perhaps.  Yes,"  opening  the  watch,  "  just 
as  I  thought,  it  is  seven  o'clock.  It  will  be  two 
long  hours  before  half  a  dozen  people  will  appear 
in  the  dining-room." 

"  Two  hours !  "  echoed  Phyllis,  aghast.  "  Why, 
at  home  I  should  be  wiping  the  dishes  for  Roxana 
by  this  time." 

Mrs.  Redmond  laughed  at  her  sincere  dicomfi- 
ture.  "We  shall  change  all  that.  There  are 
none  of  the  down-hill  paths  quite  so  broad  and 
easy  as  that  by  which  one  glides  into  the  habit  of 
a  late  breakfast ;  but  I  will  take  pity  on  you  this 
time,  and  let  you  get  a  cup  of  coffee  before  you 
faint  quite  away.'' 


356  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Roxana  does  n't  let  me  drink  coffee,"  said 
Phyllis  simply. 

Mrs.  Redmond  laughed  again.  "  Oh,  you  are 
such  a  quaint  little  thing !  "  she  observed. 

"  How  can  they  be  willing  to  miss  these  glorious 
mornings  ?  "  asked  Phyllis,  still  wrestling  with  her 
problem. 

"They  must  miss  something,"  returned  Elise, 
"  and  you  seemed  to  think  last  night  that  the  even- 
ing was  too  good  to  miss.  Be  thankful  they  all 
agree  to  be  still  at  the  same  time  so  one  can  get  a 
little  sleep." 

"  I  put  on  my  tennis  dress,"  said  Phyllis  inter- 
rogatively. 

"  Yes,  that  was  right.  I  am  quite  proud  of  you 
in  it.  Run  out  on  the  piazza,  and  I  will  join  you 
as  soon  as  I  can." 

Phyllis  found  much  during  that  first  day  to  ex- 
cite her  wonder.  How  could  the  pretty  ladies,  who 
clustered  in  knots  on  the  shady  side  of  the  piazzas 
after  breakfast,  enjoy  life  in  the  stiff,  tight  dresses 
they  wore  ?  She  looked  commiseratingly  on  a  few 
whom  she  took  to  be  lame,  and  afterward  found 
that  their  hobbling  gait  proceeded  only  from  the 
small  size  and  height  of  heel  of  their  dainty  shoes. 
Here,  amid  such  lavish  beauty  of  nature,  they 
seemed  to  have  eyes  for  nothing  but  one  another's 
clothes ;  while  as  for  exchanging  a  chair  against 
the  wooden  side  of  the  hotel  for  a  seat  on  the 
grass  under  the  spreading  oaks,  with  the  water 


NATURE  AND  ART.  357 

rippling  before  them  and  the  commingled  scent  of 
clover  and  pines  perfuming  the  air,  the  idea  never 
even  occurred  to  them. 

Many  among  the  various  groups  gave  her  more 
than  a  passing  glance.  An  extremely  pretty  girl 
who  had  never  before  appeared  at  Deep  Lake  was 
sure  to  attract  attention.  Mrs.  Redmond  found 
a  couple  of  her  schoolmates  among  the  cottagers, 
who  were  very  cordial  to  her  and  her  young  com- 
panion, and  took  pains  to  introduce  them  whenever 
opportunity  offered. 

Phyllis  was  glad  to  escape  as  soon  as  possible 
from  the  hotel  and  explore  the  shore  of  the  lake. 
Mrs.  Redmond  had  done  more  wisely  than  she 
knew  when  she  invited  the  girl's  companionship. 
It  was  a  charming  diversion  to  see  Phyllis  enjoy 
everything  so  thoroughly,  and  without  her  Elise, 
with  her  zest  for  outdoor  occupation,  would  have 
been  somewhat  at  a  loss  here  for  a  congenial 
spirit. 

They  rowed  on  the  lake,  rode  horseback,  and 
played  tennis  with  the  young  girls.  Men  were,  of 
course,  almost  entirely  lacking.  Deep  Lake  was, 
however,  sufficiently  near  a  city  to  draw  a  supply 
of  the  valued  sex  at  evening.  There  were  a  num- 
ber of  young  men  whose  summer  vacation  con- 
sisted in  these  short  runs  into  the  pure  air  of  the 
pretty  resort. 

Mrs.  Redmond  and  Phyllis  had  been  at  the 
hotel  a  sufficient  number  of  days  for  the  latter  to 
feel  quite  familiar  with  its  pleasures  and  as  blind 


358  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

as  ever  to  its  possible  drawbacks,  when  one  even- 
ing there  appeared  among  the  dusty  pilgrims  on 
the  stage  the  optimistic  countenance  of  Mr.  Tony 
Bellows. 

The  arrival  of  this  six  o'clock  stage  was  always 
the  interesting  episode  of  the  day,  especially  on 
Saturday,  when  the  influx  of  husbands,  lovers,  and 
friends  was  greatest. 

Elise,  on  this  particular  Saturday,  was  sitting 
among  her  acquaintances  on  the  piazza,  and  glanc- 
ing up  with  languid  interest  as  the  tramp  of  horses 
approached,  immediately  met  the  eager  gaze  of 
Tony,  who  had  singled  her  out  at  once  from  the 
bright-hued  group,  and  was  watching  for  her  rec- 
ognition. Almost  before  she  realized  that  it  was 
indeed  he,  he  sprang  from  the  stage  and  hurrried 
toward  her. 

"  Did  n't  expect  me,  did  you  ?  "  he  said,  shaking 
her  hand  with  a  painful  grip  and  grinning  cheer- 
fully. 

"  I  should  not  be  sure  it  was  you  now  but  for 
your  trademark,"  replied  Elise,  glancing  at  the 
florist's  box  which  Tony  was  embracing  in  one 
arm. 

"  Fresh  as  daisies,  I  assure  you,"  said  the  young 
fellow  gayly.  "  They  are  packed  with  the  great- 
est care.  You  will  wear  them  to  the  hop  to-night, 
won't  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed.  I  thought  you  were  in  Newport 
by  this  time." 

"  I  expected  to  be ;  but  Mrs.  Ingraham  is  ill. 


NATURE  AND  ART.  359 

They  had  to  retract  their  invitations.  As  soon  as 
I  knew  of  it,  I  wired  you  to  find  out  if  you  were 
well  enough  to  bear  the  infliction  of  another  call. 
Miss  Rebecca  answered  that  you  were  at  Deep 
Lake.  So  you  see,"  Tony  tapped  his  broad  chest 
vivaciously,  "  I  am  at  Deep  Lake  too."  He  smiled 
with  such  genial  assurance  that  Elise  would  have 
been  obliged  in  any  case  to  smile  in  response ;  but 
she  could  no  more  help  being  glad  to  see  him  than 
she  could  fail  to  like  sunshiny  weather. 

He  handed  her  the  box. 

"  I  shall  have  to  divide  with  Phyllis,  of  course." 

"  What !  "  Tony  looked  all  about  expectantly. 
"  Is  she  here  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes.  Did  n't  you  know  it  ?  She  is  en- 
joying herself  hugely.  For  her,  Deep  Lake  is  an 
ultra-fashionable  and  wholly  ideal  spot." 

"  Then  I  'm  sorry  I  came."  It  was  astonish- 
ing how  the  vanishing  of  Mr.  Bellows'  white  teeth 
and  the  down-curving  of  his  straw-colored  mustache 
could  becloud  his  visage. 

"  Ah,  you  do  not  like  my  little  Phyllis  ?  " 

"  Your  little  Phyllis  does  n't  like  me,  —  so  that 
bear  Chester  took  the  trouble  to  inform  me  when 
we  rode  into  Boston  together  the  other  morning. 
I  think  his  breakfast  had  not  agreed  with  him. 
He  was  as  surly  as  a  beast  in  a  menagerie." 

"  Don't  call  him  names,  Tony,"  said  Elise,  com- 
ing near,  her  face  flushed.  "  He  could  not  help 
being  very  angry.  I  think  it  is  better  you  should 
know.  He  found  out  that  last  afternoon  who 
I  am." 


360  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Who  you  are,"  repeated  Tony,  for  the  time 
entirely  forgetting  his  friend's  momentous  secret. 

"  Yes,  —  that  I  am  his  adopted  sister.  You 
know  I  told  you  he  had  quarreled  with  my  father, 
and  was  bitter  against  us." 

"  And  do  you  mean  to  say  he  blew  out  at  you  ?  " 
exclaimed  Tony,  incensed.  "  Wait  till  I  see  him. 
I'll"  — 

"  Oh,  no,  nothing  of  the  sort,"  interrupted  Elise 
impatiently.  "  He  behaved  in  the  only  way  I 
could  have  expected.  He  was  very  polite." 

"  He  must  have  been.  Do  you  think  I  don't 
remember  the  way  I  found  you  that  afternoon  — 
white  as  a  ghost?  He  is  too  rough  a  diamond. 
He  needs  a  little  polishing  such  as  I  can  give 
him." 

"•  Tony  Bellows,  do  you  wish  to  make  me  sorry 
that  I  confided  in  you  ?  Don't  you  say  a  word  to 
him.  If  I  cannot  tell  you  things  that  I  tell  no  one 
else,  and  do  so  in  safety,  why  let  me  find  it  out  at 
once." 

Tony  shook  his  head  and  smiled  admiringly. 
"  You  always  get  your  way,  and  your  scolding  is 
flattery,  and  your  flattery  is  scolding,  and  I  don't 
see  how  you  do  it.  Hang  me  if  I  do." 

Elise  bit  her  lip.  "  Well  I  intend  to  have  my 
way  in  this  case,  I  assure  you.  Now  we  must  find 
Phyllis.  It  is  all  nonsense  about  her  not  liking 
you.  At  least,  if  she  doesn't,  it  is  your  own  fault. 
From  what  she  tells  me,  I  judge  you  have  taken 
a  blundering  course  so  far  to  win  her  favor.  It 


NATURE  AND  ART.  361 

seems  you  have  been  praising  another  woman  to 
her.  Goose !  " 

Elise  smiled,  and  Tony  blushed  furiously. 

"I  —  well "    —  he  stammered. 

"  Yes,  I  know  all  about  it.  You  are  accustomed 
not  to  try  very  hard  to  win  a  girl's  favor  ;  but  this 
is  a  different  girl  from  those  of  your  world.  All 
the  life  she  has  seen  is  that  of  books.  She  reads 
George  Eliot,  and  obeys  Roxana,  and  never  saw  a 
stylish  gown  until  mine  dawned  upon  her  vision. 
Now  do  not  be  too  nice  to  her.  She  won't  under- 
stand you  if  you  flirt  with  her,  and  I  won't  have 
it." 

"  Ob,  look  here,"  ejaculated  Mr.  Bellows,  much 
injured  ;  "you  would  be  doing  better  to  lecture  the 
other  party.  She  is  as  full  of  nettles  as  a  burr. 
I  can't  come  near  her  without  getting  pricked." 

Elise  laughed.  "I  am  delighted  to  hear  it. 
Don't  venture  too  near,  then.  I  think  I  know  you 
pretty  well,  Tony,"  she  said,  becoming  serious  and 
speaking  earnestly.  "  You  are  no  conceited  jacka- 
napes to  think  every  girl  in  love  with  you,  but  it  will 
be  like  you.  if  you  are  amused  here,  to  see  a  good 
deal  of  Phyllis,  and  please  remember  one  thing, 
—  some  sorts  of  burrs  have  sweet  hearts  within. 
If  you  imagine  she  does  not  like  you,  it  will  be  the 
mannish  way  for  you  to  try  to  find  hers  ;  but  it 
will  not  be  the  manly  way.  I  have  niy  eye  on  you, 
Tony." 

She  had,  indeed,  both  eyes,  and  Tony  blushed 
and  looked  foolish,  and  tried  to  meet  her  look  and 


362  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

could  n't.  Certain  remembrances  of  the  way  the 
thought  of  Phyllis  and  her  unflattering  dislike  had 
haunted  him,  and  certain  vague  plans  he  had 
formed  for  conquering  her,  rose  up  now  with  a 
subtle  power  that  made  his  ears  tingle. 

Mrs.  Redmond  took  pity  on  him. 

"  To  show  my  real  confidence  in  you,  I  will  let 
you  go  down  how  to  the  Spring  House  and  get 
her.  Tell  her  we  are  going  in  to  tea  immediately. 
Don't  stop  to  philander." 

Tony  looked  over  his  clothes,  and  mumbling 
something  about  being  brushed  first,  entered  the 
house. 

Elise  stared  straight  ahead  of  her,  a  look  in  her 
eyes  that  filled  them  only  when  she  was  alone. 

"  There  is  one  pain,"  she  murmured,  "  that  is 
ceaseless,  merciless,  when  it  once  attacks.  If  so 
weak  a  mortal  as  I  can  defend  Phyllis  from  its 
pangs,  I  will  do  so." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

SUNSET. 

THE  illness  that  had  seized  upon  Mrs.  Terrisa 
proved  to  be  a  dangerous  complication  of  difficul- 
ties, which  speedily  reduced  her  to  a  condition  more 
critical  than  that  of  her  husband.  The  doctors  who 
consulted  concerning  her  case  were  perplexed  by 
her  apparently  apathetic  mental  state.  The  only 
thing  for  which  she  showed  any  desire  was  Re- 
becca's presence.  This  seemed  so  unnatural  to 
Roxana,  that  the  latter  watched  uneasily  until  she 
proved  to  herself  that  the  sick  woman  showed  a 
uniform  and  touching  gentleness  and  gratitude  to 
Miss  Redmond. 

The  professional  nurse  arrived  from  Boston,  and 
proved  to  be  a  kind  and  adaptable  person,  willing 
to  assist  in  either  sick-room  ;  so  the  three  women 
divided  the  work  among  them.  Mr.  Terriss  con- 
tinued irrational  for  many  days,  his  mind  reverting 
persistently  to  his  youth  ;  and  Roxana,  while  this 
state  lasted,  was  indefatigable  in  mounting  guard 
in  his  room  in  Rebecca's  absence,  and  managed 
that  the  strange  nurse  should  wait  upon  him  only 
in  his  quiet  intervals. 

One  day  Rebecca  entered  Mrs.  Terriss'  room, 
after  hearing  the  discouraging  verdict  of  the  phy- 


364  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

sicians  upon  the  latter's  condition.  The  invalid 
called  her  feebly.  "  They  say  there  is  no  hope  for 
me,  don't  they  ? "  she  asked,  as  Miss  Redmond 
came  close  to  her, 

"  No,  indeed,''  returned  Rebecca  quietly.  "  They 
hope,  and  we  all  hope." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  replied  the  sick  woman.  "  While 
there  is  life  there  is  hope ;  but  they  believe  I  am 
going  to  die,  I  saw  that  they  did,  and  they  are 
right.  Rebecca,"  she  stirred  her  hand  and  Re- 
becca took  it,  meeting  the  heavy,  wistful  eyes. 
"  Philip  will  know  how  I  loved  him,  when  I  follow 
him  even  there.  He  will  know  that  I  could  not 
live  without  him." 

"  Live  for  him,"  said  Rebecca,  gently  stroking 
the  hand  she  held.  "  He  does  not  grow  worse. 
Perhaps  he  will  prove  stronger  than  the  fever. 
You  are  too  despairing  about  him.  He  may  get 
well.  Can't  you  determine  to  recover  for  his  sake  ? 
Can't  you  look  forward  to  brighter  times  ?  " 

Mrs.  Terriss  kept  her  eyes  fixed  with  the  same 
expression  on  Rebecca's  face.  "  It  is  too  late,"  she 
said,  in  her  faint,  colorless  voice.  "  I  have  no 
strength."  Then  she  was  quiet  again. 

Rebecca  made  a  movement  to  rise.  The  other 
pressed  her  hand  slightly.  "  Stay  with  me,"  she 
said. 

For  some  time,  silence  reigned ;  then  the  sick 
woman  spoke  again. 

"  You  believe  Philip  will  get  well  ?  " 

"  I  think  he  may  ;  but  you  should  not  talk  any 
more  now." 


SUNSET.  365 

The  wife  did  not  appear  to  hear  the  admonition. 
"  Philip  has  had  a  hard  time,"  she  continued. 
"  I  see  it  now,  although  he  has  hidden  it  as  long 
as  he  could  —  as  long  as  he  could.  If  he  lives,  you 
and  Mrs.  Sherritt  will  look  after  him  and  take 
care  of  him  ?  " 

She  waited,  and  looked  so  wistfully  at  Rebecca 
that  the  latter  bowed  again. 

"  You  are  unselfish  and  good,"  said  the  sick 
woman  slowly.  "  Remember,  when  I  am  gone, 
that  I  learned  to  know  it,  and  to  appreciate  you." 

She  said  no  more  that  morning,  and  in  fact 
never  again  was  able  to  speak  a  loud  word.  Re- 
becca seldom  left  her,  and  Mrs.  Terriss'  eyes  fol- 
lowed her  about  the  room,  as  though  her  presence 
were  a  tangible  comfort. 

All  the  world  outside  the  parsonage  soon  seemed 
very  remote  to  Miss  Redmond.  Tony's  telegram 
to  Elise  was  brought  to  her,  and  she  dispatched  a 
reply  without  consideration  as  to  whether  Mrs. 
Redmond  would  wish  the  young  man  to  follow  her. 
This  question  did  occur  to  her  afterward,  but 
weightier  matters  prevented  it  from  disturbing 
her ;  and  it  would  certainly  have  been  a  waste  of 
time  to  worry  over  it,  for  Tony  at  Deep  Lake 
proved  to  be  the  right  man  in  the  right  place. 

On  the  evening  of  his  arrival,  he  went  clown  the 
hill  to  the  Spring  House,  according  to  Elise's  re- 
quest, in  search  of  Phyllis.  The  latter  was  not  in 
the  little  pavilion,  however,  but  standing  on  the 
shore  of  the  lake,  whose  bosom  was  darkening. 


366  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

The  sky  was  opal  with  sunset  tints ;  a  robin's  note 
fluted  across  the  water.  The  scene  and  the  hour 
were  so  beautiful  that  Phyllis  was  regretting  that 
duty  to  her  hostess  demanded  of  her  that  she 
should  reascend  the  hill,  when  she  became  con- 
scious of  some  one's  approach  in  the  stillness. 

She  wondered  which  of  her  fellow-boarders  had 
done  so  unconventional  a  thing  as  to  come  here  at 
this  time,  but  she  did  not  turn  her  head  ;  so  Tony 
came  and  stood  quietly  beside  her,  rather  puzzled, 
in  his  offended  pride,  as  to  what  tone  to  adopt 
toward  her,  and  deciding  to  take  his  cue  from 
her  manner. 

She  looked  up,  and  beheld  the  unsuitable  Mr. 
Bellows.  There  was  evidently  something  too  broad 
and  ennobling  in  the  natural  beauty  surrounding 
them  to  admit  of  the  indulgence  of  petty  human 
prejudices,  for  she  was  certainly  wholly  and  aston- 
ishingly glad  to  see  him. 

"  Well !  "  she  exclaimed,  biting  her  lip  and  then 
smiling  and  holding  out  her  hand.  "  How  do  you 
do?" 

Tony  shook  her  hand.  "  Very  well,  I  thank  you. 
Mrs.  Redmond  sent  nie  to  ask  you  to  come  to  sup- 
per." 

If  the  unsuitable  one  had  swept  up  a  bucket  of 
cold  water  from  the  lake  and  poured  it  unexpect- 
edly upon  her,  it  could  hardly  have  surprised  and 
dampened  her  more  than  this  harmless  speech. 

She  looked  back  at  the  evening  sky.  "  Yes,  I 
am  coming  in  a  minute,"  she  replied  shortly. 


SUNSET.  367 

"  I  had  no  idea  you  were  at  Deep  Lake  when  I 
came  up,"  continued  Tony  stiffly.  "  I  thought 
Mrs.  Redmond  was  alone." 

This  was  too  much.  Phyllis  flashed  a  hurt, 
angry  glance  at  him,  which  was  lost,  since  he  was 
inspecting  the  lake  diligently. 

"•  Else  I  should  have  brought  you  some  flowers," 
continued  Tony  solemnly.  "  Mrs.  Redmond  says 
she  will  divide  with  you." 

"  Oh  !  "  said  Phyllis. 

"  I  suppose,  of  course,  you  are  going  to  the 
hop  ?  "  continued  Tony,  when  the  silence  had  be- 
come awkward. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  replied  Phyllis  vivaciously,  with 
a  thrilling  recollection  of  the  white  dress,  "  only  I 
can't  hop." 

"  Oh,  don't  you  dance  ?  "  asked  Tony,  with  evi- 
dent disappointment.  What  a  pity  it  was  that  he 
could  not  impress  her  with  his  ability  in  that  line. 

"  No,  I  do  not  dance.  A  Boston  girl  came  to 
Snowdon  once,  when  I  was  a  child,  and  she  taught 
me  to  waltz ;  but  I  should  not  remember,  of 
course." 

"It  is  too  bad.  I  hoped  we  should  dance  to- 
gether." 

The  smiles  had  returned  to  Phyllis's  lips.  She 
began  to  remember  that  she  had  not  treated  Tony 
very  well  the  last  time  they  met,  and  to  understand 
his  present  conduct. 

This  evening  had  been  one  long  anticipated  by 
Phyllis.  It  was  to  be  the  gala  occasion  on  which 


368  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Elise  had  said  she  must  wear  the  lace  dress  for 
the  first  time. 

At  supper,  Tony  sat  at  their  table,  and  somehow 
Phyllis  felt  that  life  at  Deep  Lake,  though  novel 
and  pleasant  before,  had  but  now  for  the  first  time 
become  full.  The  music,  which  had  been  engaged 
for  the  evening,  discoursed  gayly  all  through  meal- 
time. Tony's  stiffness  had  vanished,  and  Mrs.  Red- 
mond almost  forgot,  for  the  moment,  her  chronic 
restlessness,  questioning,  and  longing,  in  the  amuse- 
ment she  derived  from  Phyllis's  pleasure. 

The  table  at  Deep  Lake  was  not  one  of  its  per- 
fections ;  but  Tony  managed  that  night,  by  dint  of 
experience  and  the  necessary  bribery,  to  evoke  a 
festive  little  supper  from  the  mysterious  recesses 
beyond  the  dining-room  ;  and  when,  to  the  strains 
of  a  rollicking  operatic  bit,  he  clinked  his  cham- 
pagne glass  against  Phyllis's,  Mrs.  Redmond 
looked  into  the  girl's  starry  eyes  and  experienced 
a  little  pang  of  conscience. 

"  Champagne,  indeed  !  "  she  thought.  "  This  is 
all  champagne  to  Phyllis.  I  hope  she  will  retain 
a  taste  for  Snowdon  and  spring  water." 

But  Phyllis  only  thought,  "  What  if  Roxana 
could  look  in  here  now !  " 

Supper  over,  they  stood  awhile  on  the  piazzas 
talking,  and  strolled  about  under  the  trees;  but 
Phyllis  had  an  objective  point  in  view.  It  was  the 
white  dress.  She  was  glad  when  the  moment 
came  for  Mrs.  Redmond  to  take  her  upstairs  to 
their  rooms,  there  to  prepare  for  the  grand  occa- 


SUNSET.  369 

sion.  Through  her  anticipation  of  the  dancing, 
and  the  lights,  and  the  music,  a  new  delight  had 
loomed  larger  than  them  all ;  and  this  was  that 
Tony  Bellows  would  see  her  in  that  beautiful  gown. 
She  hummed  one  of  the  gay  tunes  the  musicians 
had  played,  while  she  made  her  toilet  by  the  aid 
of  a  kerosene  lamp.  Phyllis  had  never  dressed  by 
any  artificial  light  more  brilliant,  so  she  felt  no 
lack.  She  was  not  a  slave  to  frizzes,  so  much 
heart-rending  anxiety  was  spared  her.  The  mak- 
ing of  that  toilet  was  an  undivided  pleasure,  and 
the  gazing  at  herself  in  the  mirror  when  it  was 
finished  was  another. 

The  soft,  graceful  folds  of  the  gown,  and  its 
dainty  puffs  of  sleeves,  from  which  her  slender 
arms  showed  bare  and  round,  took  her  attention 
far  more  than  the  study  of  her  familiar  face;  but 
to-night  her  eyes  were  so  bright,  her  lips  so  scarlet, 
and  her  smile  so  happy,  it  did  not  seem  quite  the 
everyday  Phyllis  that  smiled  back  at  her. 

"  I  am  pretty  —  I  am,  I  am  !  "  she  thought  ex- 
ultantly, yet  it  was  of  Tony  and  not  of  herself  she 
was  thinking. 

At  last  Mrs.  Redmond  opened  the  door.  "  Ready, 
Phyllis  ?  Let  me  look  at  you." 

The  girl  went  forward  very  conscious  and  happy, 
but  as  she  crossed  the  threshold,  she  forgot  herself 
wholly  by  reason  of  the  vision  that  greeted  her. 

It  was  a  marvelous  dress  that  Elise  wore,  a  pale, 
iridescent  gown,  which,  I  suppose,  should  be  re- 
spectfully termed  a  "  creation."  At  all  events,  it 


370  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

suited  the  woman  who  wore  it,  and  it  clothed  her, 
instead  of,  as  in  so  many  cases,  her  being  subser- 
vient to  it.  A  string  of  pearls  surrounded  Mrs. 
Redmond's  throat,  and  she  wore  no  other  jewelry. 
It  was  a  tribute  to  the  ascendency  of  her  own  love- 
liness over  that  of  millinery  that  Phyllis,  the  little 
country  girl  to  whom  evening  dresses  hitherto  had 
been  unknown,  looked  straight  into  her  friend's 
face. 

"  How  beautiful  you  are  !  "  she  ejaculated. 

"  Fine  feathers  make  fine  birds,"  replied  Elise, 
smiling.  "  If  we  were  to  have  a  competition  in 
complimenting  I  could  say  some  very  nice  things 
too,"  and  she  approached  and  looked  Phyllis  over, 
well-pleased.  "  You  are  very  real  and  unspoiled," 
she  added,  gazing  kindly  into  the  girl's  eyes.  "  I 
hope  you  will  remain  so." 

"  You  have  remained  so,"  returned  Phyllis 
simply. 

"  No."  Elise  shook  her  head  slowly.  "  I  am 
spoiled  and  imperious.  I  expect  always  to  be 
obeyed,  always  to  have  my  own  way." 

"  But  it  is  such  a  pleasant  way.  People  are 
glad  to  give  it  to  you." 

"  No,  I  do  not  always  get  it.  I  am  suffering  now 
because  I  cannot  get  it."  She  turned  her  face 
aside  with  a  pretty  gesture  of  despair.  "  I  am 
wretched,  wretched !  "  Her  white  chest  rose  and 
fell  quickly,  and  her  companion  looked  at  her  in 
distressed  surprise.  The  exclamation  was  evidently 
genuine. 


SUNSET.  371 

"  Oh,  tell  me  why,  Mrs.  Redmond.  Tell  me 
what  you  mean,"  she  replied  anxiously.  "  Let  me 
help  you.  Perhaps  I  can.  Try  me." 

Mrs.  Redmond  bit  her  lip  and  threw  her  head 
up  as  though  she  would  toss  aside  her  thoughts. 
"  You  do  help  me,"  she  answered.  "  Perhaps  you 
will  never  know  how  much  you  have  been  to  me 
here.  Do  not  let  what  I  said  disturb  you.  You 
do  me  the  greatest  possible  kindness  when  you 
enjoy  yourself  thoroughly.  Now  let  me  see  if  you 
are  quite  ready.  You  have  no  fan."  She  turned 
to  her  trunk,  which  was  indeed  a  veritable  wonder- 
box,  and  produced  a  fan  of  soft,  deep,  white  feath- 
ers. "  Keep  it,"  she  said,  placing  it  in  the  girl's 
hand  ;  "  it  belongs  with  your  dress." 

Phyllis  laid  her  cheek  caressingly  against  the 
soft  mass.  "  You  keep  me  constantly  thanking 
you,"  she  said.  "  Now  I  am  ready  indeed." 

"  Then  we  will  go  down.  Tony  will  be  waiting 
for  us.  You  had  better  take  this  white  scarf  for 
sitting  on  the  piazzas."  Mrs.  Redmond  threw  an 
embroidered  wrap  about  her  own  shoulders,  then 
the  two  descended  to  the  parlor. 

Mr.  Bellows,  walking  on  the  veranda  enjoying 
a  cigarette,  saw  them  through  a  window.  He 
stopped,  and  his  eyes  lighted  with  pleasure  as  they 
fell  on  Phyllis. 

"  I  said  so,"  he  thought  triumphantly.  "  Hold 
her  own !  She  's  the  prettiest  girl  I  know."  He 
threw  away  his  cigarette,  and  entered  the  house. 

The  consciousness  Phyllis  had  expected  to  feel 


372  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

under  his  gaze  failed  to  trouble  her.  She  was  far 
too  occupied  in  admiring  him.  Snowdon  swains 
never  wore  full-dress,  and  Tony  in  his  dress-suit 
was  quite  the  most  immaculate  object  her  eyes  had 
ever  rested  upon. 

Yes,  Mr.  Bellows  was  quite  an  important  per- 
son, she  decided  in  her  own  mind.  Tony  would 
have  been  charmed  to  know  how  her  respect  for 
him  was  growing.  It  continued  to  grow  during 
the  evening  to  an  uncomfortable  extent.  She  had 
the  opportunity  to  see  the  favoritism  displaj^ed  for 
him  by  all  the  young  women  at  Deep  Lake.  A 
week  ago  she  had  yearned  to  be  one  of  the  num- 
ber in  that  enticing  ball-room.  Well,  to-night 
she  had  the  privilege.  Was  it  a  privilege,  since 
Tony  was  evidently  the  best  dancer  in  the  room 
and  she  could  not  be  his  partner  ? 

She  watched  furtively  the  pretty  girls  with  whom 
he  danced,  and  saw  that  they  were  pleased  with  his 
attentions,  and  responded  to  him  with  a  manner 
far  different  from  her  own.  Mrs.  Redmond  was 
his  first  partner,  and  Phyllis  watched  in  delight 
and  envy  the  way  in  which  they  floated  about  the 
room  together,  light  as  down,  yet  with  pliant, 
smooth  movements  in  which  there  was  no  hint  of 
a  jerk  or  a  jump. 

"  Was  n't  that  delightful  ?  "  she  asked  eagerly 
when  Elise  returned  to  the  seat  beside  her,  Tony 
fanning  her  assiduously. 

"Yes.  Tony  is  simply  perfect  when  it  comes 
to  a  matter  of  dancing,"  replied  Elise. 


SUNSET.  373 

Mr.  Bellows  bowed  his  blonde  head  with  exag- 
gerated gratitude. 

'•  Why  have  you  not  been  teaching  Miss  Flower 
to  dance  all  this  time  ?  "  he  asked  reproachfully. 

"  Why,  indeed  !  Phyllis,  why  did  n't  you  ask 
me?" 

"  I  did  n't  know  I  should  wish  so  much  to  dance," 
was  the  girl 's  reply,  given  with  so  much  naivete 
that  her  companions  both  smiled. 

"How  many  will  you  let  me  have,  Mrs.  Red- 
mond ?  "  asked  Tony. 

"  I  shall  hardly  dance  again,  I  think.  At  any 
rate,  there  are  too  many  pretty  girls  here  for  me 
to  monopolize  you.  Take  me  across  to  Mrs. 
Sharpe  a  minute,  please.  I  promised  to  speak  to 
her  to-night  about  something.  I  will  be  back 
soon,  Phyllis.  You  have  Mrs.  Dayton  on  the 
other  side  of  you.  Mrs.  Dayton,  I  am  going  to 
leave  Miss  Flower  with  you  a  minute." 

Mrs.  Dayton,  an  extremely  stout  lady,  smiled 
expansively,  and  declared  her  pleasure  in  dear 
Miss  Flower's  society. 

Tony  escorted  Mrs.  Redmond  to  her  destina- 
tion, and  then  returned  to  Phyllis's  side.  The 
music  began  again. 

"  Who  are  you  going  to  dance  with  this  time  ?  " 
she  asked 

"  You." 

"  But  you  know  I  can't,"  she  said  mournfully. 

"  Well,  I  mean  I  am  going  to  sit  here  with 
you." 


374  THE  MISTRESS    OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Oh,  how  kind  of  you." 

Tony  took  up  her  fan  and  waved  it  gently. 

They  watched  the  couples  pass  and  repass  for 
several  minutes,  Tony  amusing  his  companion  by 
his  comments  on  the  various  pairs,  and  Phyllis 
entertaining  him  with  bits  of  descriptions  of  her 
sister  women  as  she  had  found  them  in  every-day 
life  at  Deep  Lake. 

"  Mr.  Bellows,"  she  said  at  last,  seriously, 
"  what  is  flirting  ?  What  is  it  people  do  when 
they  doit?" 

Tony  smiled.  "  I  should  be  delighted  to  show 
you,  but  Mrs.  Redmond  won't  permit  it." 

"  It  is  bad,  then,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

Mr.  Bellows  looked  rather  puzzled  for  a  minute. 
"  Well,  there  are  all  shades,  you  know." 

Phyllis  shook  her  head  doubtfully.  "  A  good 
thing  is  good,  all  shades  of  it,  and  a  bad  thing  is 
bad,  all  shades  of  it,"  she  replied. 

"  You  would  be  troubled  to  carry  that  out,  I 
think.  How  about  the  champagne  we  had  to- 
night?" 

"  That  is  so,  is  n't  it  ?  "  exclaimed  Phyllis,  com- 
prehending. "  Yes,  all  champagne  must  be  bad, 
then,"  she  said  firmly ;  "  but  it  is  the  nicest  bad 
thing  I  can  think  of,"  she  added,  with  a  little 
smile. 

"  The  same  way  with  flirting,"  responded  Tony 
dryly. 

"  Oh,  I  have  n't  thanked  you  for  my  flowers," 
said  Phyllis,  suddenly  bethinking  herself,  and 


SUNSET.  375 

touching  the  roses  on  her  breast.  "  Mrs.  Redmond 
gave  me  all  these." 

"  I  should  think  you  might  spare  one." 

"What  for?" 

"  To  decorate  me,  of  course." 

"  Would  you  like  one  in  your  button  -  hole  ? 
Why  certainly,"  and  Phyllis,  in  view  of  any  one 
who  chose  to  look,  took  a  half-opened  bud  from 
her  corsage  and  placed  it  in  Tony's  coat,  delighted 
with  the  firm  little  elastic  band  she  found,  which 
did  away  with  the  necessity  for  the  ever-lacking 
pin.  A  good  many  did  choose  to  look.  It  was 
not  a  matter  of  indifference  to  the  Boston  girls 
present  who  put  roses  in  Tony's  button -hole. 
Elise  saw  too.  When  that  dance  had  closed,  and 
another  begun,  and  still  Mr.  Bellows  remained  by 
Phyllis's  side,  she  thought  it  time  to  interfere. 

Taking  the  arm  of  the  man  who  happened  to 
be  talking  to  her  at  the  moment,  she  crossed  the 
room  again  and  sat  down  on  Mr.  Bellows'  other 
side. 

The  latter  turned  to  her.  "Why  do  you  not 
dance  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  am  having  a  better  time  this  way,"  was  the 
cheerful  response. 

"  Well,  you  must  n't  do  so  any  more.  The 
dancing  girls  here  to  -  night  consider  you  their 
rightful  prey.  I  do  not  care  to  have  Phyllis  quite 
annihilated  by  glanceg.  Go  away  at  once,  and  do 
not  return  until  you  have  danced  at  least  half  a 
dozen  times." 


376  THE  M /STRESS   OF  BEECH  Kfil  OLL. 

"Really?" 

"  Yes,  really.  You  know  what  I  said  to  you 
when  you  first  came." 

"  Well,  I  have  n't,"  replied  Tony  rather  inco- 
herently. 

"  How  did  that  rose  come  in  your  button-hole  ?  " 

"Well,  if  I  must,  I  must,  I  suppose,"  and  the 
young  man  rose  precipitately.  "  Au  revoir,  Miss 
Flower ;  Mrs.  Redmond  thinks  every  man  should 
do  his  duty  on  an  occasion  like  this."  He  lowered 
his  voice  and  bent  his  head.  "  If  you  watch  the 
young  lady  I  am  going  to  ask  for  the  next  dance, 
you  will  receive  a  lesson  in  the  art  we  were  talking 
of  awhile  ago." 

"  Can  one  do  it  alone  ?  "  asked  Phyllis. 

"  We-ell  hardly." 

"  Then  you  are  going  to,  too  ?  " 

"  I  can't  tell.  I  may  be  driven  into  keeping  up 
my  end."  He  smiled  and  bowed  and  went  away, 
and  it  was  after  this  that  the  little  twinges  of 
jealousy  and  envy  referred  to  before  afflicted 
Miss  Flower,  a  wallflower  indeed,  and  as  discon- 
tented as  she  was  pretty. 

It  was  a  new  and  disconcerting  discovery  that 
she  grudged  Tony  to  these  other  girls  ;  that  she 
did  not  care  for  the  pretty  dresses  or  the  music, 
because  he  was  bending  his  head  above  another 
woman's  and  smiling  at  her  words. 

Phyllis  was  frightened  and  resentful,  but  she 
could  not  escape  the  truth.  Another  and  another 
dance  passed,  and  he  did  not  return.  She  had 


SUBSET.  377 

heard  nothing  of  Elise's  low-spoken  conversation 
with  him,  and  although  she  told  herself  that  she 
was  unreasonable  to  expect  him  to  sit  and  talk  at 
a  dancing  party,  she  suffered  from  his  absence 
just  the  same,  and  her  lovely  dress  and  the  antici- 
pated evening  were  both  together  vanity.  She 
had  too  much  spirit  to  show  this,  however,  and 
affected  to  be  absorbed  in  watching  the  gay  whirl, 
turning  occasionally  to  speak  to  Mrs.  Redmond 
with  a  bright  smile,  that  accorded  well  with  her 
heightened  color ;  and  Mrs.  Redmond,  being  kept 
busy  responding  to  the  spontaneous  homage  paid 
her  as  the  most  beautiful  woman  in  the  room, 
would  have  been  deceived  by  less  good  acting  on 
the  part  of  her  charge. 

Tony's  six  dances  over,  he  deposited  his  last 
partner  and  returned  to  his  allegiance,  had  Phyl- 
lis known  how  gladly,  her  wounds  would  have 
been  healed. 

"  It  is  so  warm,"  he  said.  "  I  wonder,  Miss 
Flower,  if  it  would  be  too  cool  for  you  on  the 
piazza." 

"  Oh,  I  think  not,"  replied  Phyllis,  with  a  very 
good  assumption  of  indifference.  "Would  you 
like  to  go,  Mrs.  Redmond  ?  " 

"  Thank  you,  no.  You  and  Tony  go,  but  do  not 
stay  long." 

Tony  placed  the  lace  scarf  about  the  girl's 
shoulders,  and  giving  her  his  arm,  they  went  out 
upon  the  piazza,  where  there  was  the  same  buzz 
of  talk  and  laughter,  the  same  passing  and  re- 


378     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

passing  of  couples,  that  Phyllis  had  discovered  on 
the  evening,  so  long  ago  it  seemed,  of  her  arrival. 
Now  her  dream  was  fulfilled.  She  was  one  of  the 
figures  in  the  scene,  and  her  mood  had  changed. 
She  was  as  happy  as  the  happiest. 

Her  escort  led  her  slowly  to  the  further  end  of 
the  piazza,  where  there  was  an  inviting  corner,  re- 
tired, yet  overlooking  the  water  which  shimmered 
in  the  moonlight.  Tony  knew  all  the  resources  of 
Deep  Lake. 

Long  shadows  lay  across  the  hill.  The  night 
was  enchantingly  cool  and  quiet.  To  Phyllis,  this 
escape  from  the  glare  and  the  noise  and  her  own 
hot  misery  into  such  tranquillity  alone  with  Tony 
was  relief  unspeakable. 

He  gave  her  a  chair  and  seated  himself  on  the 
piazza  rail. 

"  Well,  did  you  observe  her  ?  "  he  asked  laugh- 
ingly. "  Do  you  know  now  what  flirting  is  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  I  despise  it.  You  did  it  too,"  re- 
turned Phyllis  reproachfully. 

Tony  was  pleasantly  surprised  at  her  tone.  "  It 
was  only  force  of  habit,"  he  replied.  "  That  girl 
is  a  great  bore." 

"  Did  you  dance  with  six  bores  ?  "  asked  Phyllis 
frigidly. 

"  Yes,  I  did,"  replied  Tony  heartily.  "  Mrs. 
Redmond  made  me.  She  thought  my  sitting  there 
so  long  did  n't  look  well." 

"  Oh,  look  well ! "  repeated  Phyllis  scornfully. 
"  How  tired  one  gets  of  hearing  that  a  thing  does 


SUNSET.  379 

not  look  well !  I  wish  people  were  n't  so  fond  of 
criticising." 

"  You  are  safe  for  the  present,  at  all  events," 
replied  Tony.  "  There  is  no  one  but  me  now  to 
say  whether  or  no  you  look  well,  and  I  tell  you 
frankly  that  you  do." 

Phyllis  smiled  a  little  demurely.  She  was  quite 
aware  that  she  looked  her  very  best,  and  at  last  it 
was  worth  while.  "The  moonlight  is  a  great 
flatterer,"  she  returned.  "  I  have  had  a  question 
on  my  mind  to  ask  you  for  several  days,  Mr.  Bel- 
lows," she  continued.  "  I  wish  you  would  tell  me 
why  you  thought  it  worth  while  to  make  me  believe, 
—  well,  what  you  said  about  your  feelings  for  Mrs. 
Redmond.  You  led  me  into  the  wildest  blunders." 

Mr.  Bellows  hoped  the  moonlight  would  pale 
the  blush  he  felt  mount  to  his  forehead  ;  but  he 
answered  firmly  enough  :  "  That  was  a  mistake  on 
my  part.  I  believed  all  I  said  to  you,  and  a  great 
deal  more." 

Phyllis  did  not  see  the  blush,  and  she  felt  an- 
other jealous  pang. 

"  You  have  seen  to-night  how  Mrs.  Redmond 
attracts  men  and  women  alike,"  her  companion 
went  on.  "You  see  the  deference  and  attention 
that  is  always  paid  her,  and  the  open  admiration 
that  follows  her  ?  " 

Phyllis  had  not  noticed  anything  of  the  kind, 
being  far  too  preoccupied  with  interests  of  her 
own ;  but  her  silence  seemed  to  give  consent,  and 
Tony  continued. 


380  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Well,  she  was  always  kind  to  nie,  having 
known  ine  when  we  were  children,  and  on  iny  first 
visit  to  Snowdon  the  idea  occurred  to  me  that 
perhaps  she  would  be  willing  to  marry  me.  The 
idea  intoxicated  me,  and  I  could  think  of  nothing 
else  until  I  went  out  there  again,  and  then  one 
day  she  brought  me  to  my  senses." 

"  Oh,"  said  Phyllis,  feeling  uncomfortably  warm  ; 
"  I  did  not  mean  to  pry  into  your  affairs.  Excuse 
me  for  mentioning  the  subject." 

"  You  had  the  right,  since  I  made  you  my  confi- 
dante before  Mrs.  Redmond  showed  me  that  ex- 
treme admiration  and  warm  regard  were  what  I 
felt  for  her,  and  all  that  I  felt."  Tony  looked  at 
the  face  of  his  companion,  etherealized  in  the 
moonlight.  "  And  now  I  thank  her,"  he  added, 
leaving  his  seat  on  the  piazza  rail  and  taking  a 
chair  beside  Phyllis. 

"  You  will  not  think  any  the  less  of  me  because 
I  made  that  mistake,  I  hope  ? "  he  asked  in  a 
tone  which  made  the  girl's  happy  heart  leap,  while 
intuitively  she  shrank  deeper  into  her  soft  laces, 
and  her  pretty  head  bent  as  though  the  night  dews 
weighed  it  down  with  the  other  flowers. 

"  Oh,  no,"  she  answered  faintly. 

Fortunately,  pretty  girls  have  no  need  of  origi- 
nality or  brilliancy,  especially  with  their  lovers, 
and  Tony  was  beginning  to  be  a  lover,  and  he  was 
perfectly  satisfied  with  this  response. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

TONY   OFFENDS. 

WHEN  considerable  time  had  passed,  and  Tony 
and  Phyllis  did  not  return  to  the  dancing-room, 
Mrs.  Redmond's  wrath  began  to  kindle  against  the 
friend  of  her  childhood. 

She  had  put  a  constraint  upon  herself  to  dress 
and  come  here  to-night,  and  to  what  end,  if  Phyllis 
were  going  to  spend  her  evening  star-gazing? 
Elise's  state  of  mind  regarding  her  own  affairs 
since  finding  the  too  safe  hiding-place  of  Deep 
Lake  had  fluctuated  through  all  stages  of  hope 
and  despair.  Living  over  her  summer's  experience 
with  Chester,  there  was  much  to  make  her  confi- 
dent that  he  belonged  to  her  utterly.  She  was  so 
accustomed  to  devotion  :  surely  it  was  impossible 
that  the  one  man  her  heart  had  ever  gone  out  to 
should  fail  to  meet  her  with  a  like  depth  and 
strength  of  feeling.  A  couple  of  days  in  this  haven 
among  the  hills  sufficed  for  the  relief  in  her  safety 
to  evaporate,  and  she  soon  passed  into  a  state  of  ex- 
cited expectancy.  Of  course  Terriss  would  manage 
to  discover  her  whereabouts,  and  would  follow  her. 
"NVhen  this  result  did  not  immediately  come  about, 
she  began  to  think  that  he  would  write  to  her  in- 
stead of  coming,  and  watched  the  mails  eagerly. 


$82  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

No  letter  arrived  from  him,  and  Rebecca,  for  a  long 
time,  was  too  occupied  to  write  ;  but  when  she  did 
so  at  last,  she  mentioned  the  fact  of  Chester's  call, 
and  explained  that  she  had  not  been  able  to  see 
him. 

Elise's  spirits,  just  then  depressed,  rebounded 
at  this,  and  she  began  to  wonder  how  long  she 
would  be  able  to  endure  remaining  at  Deep  Lake. 
She  must  consider  Phyllis.  She  had  brought  the 
girl  here  to  indulge  a  whim,  and  she  must  not  cut 
her  pleasure  short  selfishly.  In  this  state  of  smoth- 
ered feeling,  she  had  immolated  herself  to-night  on 
the  altar  of  hospitality,  and  could  ill  brook  the  an- 
noyance that  Tony  was  causing  her.  She  did  not 
for  a  moment  blame  Phyllis,  and  she  was  not  so 
occupied  with  her  own  engrossing  hopes  as  to  be 
thoughtless  of  the  safety  and  peace  of  mind  of  her 
charge.  She  knew  Tony's  devotion  to  the  plea- 
sures of  the  dance,  and  that  he  should  ignore  the 
good  floor  and  music  for  so  protracted  a  stay  out 
of  doors  suggested  uneasy  thoughts  to  her. 

A  young  man  was  making  eager  attempts  to  en- 
tertain her  at  the  moment  when  her  restlessness 
reached  its  climax,  and  she  suggested  to  him  mak- 
ing a  tour  of  the  piazzas  in  search  of  the  young 
lady  she  was  chaperoning. 

The  consequence  of  this  was  that  Mr.  Bellows 
beheld,  not  long  afterward,  what  he  recognized  as 
an  avenging  angel,  despite  the  fact  that  those  ra- 
diant beings  are  not  usually  represented  enveloped 
in  Paris  wraps. 


TONY   OFFENDS.  383 

"  We  were  just  thinking  perhaps  you  would 
wonder  where  we  were,"  he  remarked  cheerfully. 

"  Do  not  let  me  detain  you  longer  from  the  dan- 
cing, Mr.  Lambert,"  said  Elise  to  her  cavalier,  who 
bowed  and  accepted  his  dismissal,  returning  to  the 
ball-room  swelling  with  satisfaction  in  consequence 
of  the  number  of  minutes  Mrs.  Redmond  had  dis- 
tinguished him  by  her  society. 

Mr.  Bellows  looked  after  the  departing  Lambert 
a  little  wildly,  but  he  need  not  have  feared  for  the 
present.  Elise  was  too  heedful  of  his  companion 
to  punish  him  now. 

"  It  is  midnight,  Phyllis,"  she  said  pleasantly. 

"  Why,  where  has  the  evening  gone?  "  exclaimed 
the  girl.  "  Mrs.  Redmond,  is  n't  that  scene  like 
fairyland?  " 

"  It  is  indeed  beautiful,"  returned  Elise  kindly, 
looking  down  the  shadow-strown  hillside  across  the 
shimmering  water.  "  What  a  solemn  vastness  the 
moonlight  gives  to  our  pretty  daylight  view !  Do 
you  care  to  go  in  and  see  any  more  of  the  dan- 
cing?" 

"  No,  I  think  not,  thank  you.  It  makes  me  too 
envious." 

Tony  had  risen  upon  Mrs.  Redmond's  appear- 
ance. Now  he  briskly  brought  forward  a  chair. 
"  Won't  you  sit  down  ?  "  he  said. 

"  No,  I  thank  you."  The  tone  of  the  suave  re- 
fusal conveyed  nothing  to  Phyllis's  unsophisticated 
ear,  but  it  chilled  Mr.  Bellows'  blood. 

"  I  thiuk,  if  you  do  not  care  any  further  for  the 


384  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

dancing,  Phyllis,  we  had  better  leave  this  scene," 
continued  Mrs.  Redmond. 

The  girl  gave  an  audible  sigh.  "  I  suppose  so, 
but  does  n't  it  seem  a  pity  ?  "  she  returned. 

Tony  considered  suggesting  a  claret  punch,  by 
way  of  lengthening  the  evening,  but  he  thought  of 
the  probable  slow  passage  of  the  last  hour  to  Mrs. 
Redmond,  and  his  tongue  clave  to  the  roof  of  his 
mouth. 

"  I  suppose  you  will  go  back  now,  and  dance 
with  that  green  young  lady  again,"  said  Phyllis  to 
him  as  she  rose  from  her  chair. 

"  Shall  I  ?  "  he  replied.  "  Do  you  wish  me 
to?" 

"  Oh,  why  should  I  care  ?  " 

Whatever  Mr.  Bellows  might  have  liked  to  re- 
ply to  this,  Mrs.  Redmond's  presence  restrained 
him.  He  contented  himself  with  pressing  Phyllis's 
hand  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  which  led  to  her 
apartments,  and  the  girl  ran  up  lightly,  not  afraid 
of  any  other  girl,  whether  in  green,  blue,  or  pink. 

Mrs.  Redmond  came  more  slowly  behind  her. 
She  turned  and  gave  the  radiant  young  man  one 
of  the  searching  looks  with  which  she  understood 
the  art  of  shriveling  souls. 

He  clasped  his  hands  beseechingly.  "  Mea 
culpa"  he  said,  "  if  mea  is  n't  too  culpable  !  " 

"  I  am  quite  in  earnest,"  she  returned.  "  You 
will  discover  it  later." 

She  felt  that  she  ought  to  say  something  to 
Phyllis  to  put  her  on  her  guard,  but  when  she 


TONY  OFFENDS.  385 

reached  her  room,  the  girl  rushed  to  her,  thre\r 
her  soft  arms  around  her  neck,  and  kissed  her. 

"  Oh,  how  can  I  thank  you  for  giving  me  all 
these  good  times !  "  she  exclaimed. 

Elise's  own  full,  longing  heart  pleaded  with  her 
not  to  disturb  this  absolute  content.  Why  put  out 
the  lights  in  those  eyes,  and  introduce  vague  fears 
in  place  of  this  happy  ardor  ?  Let  the  child  go  to 
sleep  to-night  with  all  the  glamor  of  her  thoughts 
shining.  To-morrow  would  be  time  enough. 

"  Mr.  Bellows  says  he  will  teach  me  to  dance 
this  week,"  announced  Phyllis,  sparkling  and  beam- 
ing. "  He  says  we  can  go  into  the  ball-room  any 
time  we  like,  and  then  by  next  Saturday  night  I 
need  not  sit  still." 

"Oh,  are  we  going  to  be  here  next  Saturday 
night  ?  "  asked  Elise. 

The  girl  suddenly  turned.  "  Are  n't  we  ?  "  she 
ejaculated  anxiously. 

"  I  had  n't  thought,"  replied  Mrs.  Redmond. 
"  We  will  see." 

But  Phyllis  was  not  to  sleep  that  night  quite  un- 
saddened.  She  found  a  letter  on  her  bureau  from 
Roxana,  and  it  said  that  Mrs.  Terriss  had  died 
the  morning  before.  She  felt  ashamed  that  her 
first  thought,  upon  the  reception  of  the  news,  was 
fear  lest  Mrs.  Redmond  should  consider  it  neces- 
sary to  return  for  the  funeral,  and  that  thus  the 
visit  to  Deep  Lake  would  be  summarily  ended  ;  but 
Roxana  did  not  suggest  such  a  necessity,  neither 
4id  it  seem  to  occur  to  Elise ;  and  Phyllis  breathed 


886     THE  MISTRESS  OF  SEECH  KNOLL. 

freely  again.  Mr.  Terriss  was  her  favorite  of  the 
two,  and  Roxana  said  he  was  rational  now  at  inter- 
vals, and  that  the  doctors  were  hopefuJ  about  him. 

On  the  next  day,  Mr.  Bellows  seemed  determined 
to  put  off  the  mauvais  quart  (Theure  Mrs.  Red- 
mond had  promised  him.  He  was  simply  exem- 
plary in  the  impartiality  with  which  he  devoted 
himself  to  the  two  friends.  The  young1  lady  in 
green  of  the  night  before,  a  Miss  Plum  by  name, 
and  an  excellent  tennis  player,  made  the  fourth  in 
several  games,  and  ruined  them  for  Phyllis  by  the 
airs  and  graces  which  she  lavished  upon  Tony  ;  but 
the  carrying  out  of  the  dancing  lessons  consoled 
the  girl  somewhat.  It  was  Mrs.  Redmond  who  did 
the  teaching  however.  Tony  was  relegated  to  the 
piano  stool,  where  he  played  waltzes  with  inex- 
haustible patience  and  good  humor. 

Phyllis  was  an  apt  pupil.  The  little  she  knew 
already,  her  strong  feeling  for  rhythm,  and  her 
power  of  imitation  gave  her,  before  many  days,  a 
tolerable  facility  in  the  art,  in  which  she  gloried  as 
in  the  possession  of  an  added  sense.  She  never 
forgot  the  first  dance  she  had  with  Tony,  when 
Mrs.  Redmond  at  last  graciously  declared  her 
ready  for  that  distinction.  It  was  at  the  quietest 
hour  in  the  day,  when  people  were  in  their  cottages, 
and  few  loungers  were  about  the  hotel.  There 
was  no  one  besides  themselves  in  the  ball-room. 
Klise  played  for  them,  and  the  two  young  people 
had  undisturbed  sway.  It  must  have  been  a  very 
poor  dancer  who  could  not  enjoy  a  turn  with  Tony. 


TONY  OFFENDS.  387 

His  powers  of  adaptation  were  limitless,  and  Phyl- 
lis, in  the  glow  of  youth  and  strength,  found  at  last 
an  ideal  exercise. 

"  That  is  enough  —  enough !  "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Redmond,  laughing  and  taking  her  hands  from 
the  piano.  "  Tony,  your  face  nearly  matches  the 
stripe  in  your  blazer.  Phyllis,  sit  down  this  min- 
ute." 

The  girl  was  too  breathless  to  speak,  but  her 
eyes  replied  triumphantly  to  Tony's  compliments. 
Now  let  Saturday  evening  come.  The  minor 
dances  of  the  other  evenings  were  all  very  well ; 
but  the  orchestra  and  the  festal  garments  were 
needed  to  make  her  satisfaction  complete. 

But  long  before  Saturday  evening,  Tony  had 
offended  again,  and  more  than  once,  before  Mrs. 
Redmond's  watchful  eyes. 

One  night,  in  their  room,  she  approached  Phyl- 
lis very  kindly. 

"  My  dear,"  she  said,  "  I  am  your  chaperon, 
and  it  is  a  part  of  every  chaperon's  duty  to  be 
disagreeable." 

"  How  poorly  you  perform  yours,  then,"  replied 
the  girl,  looking  at  her  affectionately. 

"  I  'm  afraid  I  do,  rather.  I  have  the  greatest 
repugnance  to  spoiling  your  good  time,  you  see  ; 
but  Tony  is  getting  too  bad.  I  have  scolded  him, 
still  he  will  flirt  with  you." 

"  Oh,  no,  he  does  n't,"  replied  Phyllis  earnestly. 
"  One  can't,  alone,  he  says,  and  I  don't  know  a 
thing  about  it,  except  what  I  've  seen  Miss  Plum 


388  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

do.  Oh,  I  think  she  's  horrible,  the  way  she  makes 
eyes !  " 

Elise  smiled.  "Miss  Plum's  natural  advan- 
tages are  not  very  great,  but,  you  see,  your  eyes 
are  all  made ;  and  when  you  look  at  a  man,  this  is 
what  he  sees." 

She  took  up  a  hand-glass  with  a  quick  move- 
ment and  held  it  before  Phyllis's  excited  face,  so 
that  the  girl  observed,  perforce,  the  brown  dia- 
monds of  which  Mr.  Bellows  was  beginning  to 
dream. 

She  pushed  away  the  glass  gently  and  gazed 
earnestly  at  her  mentor. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  Mr.  Bellows  thinks  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  suppose  Mr.  Bellows  thinks  very 
often.  He  has  been  fanned  along  through  life  by 
favoring  breezes  as  lightly  as  one  of  these  Jap- 
anese butterflies." 

Phyllis  looked  very  serious,  and  the  sudden 
vivid  color  died  from  her  face. 

"  Do  you  suppose  he  means  to  flirt  with  me  ?  " 
she  asked  gravely.  "  Do  you  suppose  he  means  to 
deceive  me  ?  " 

"  He  does  n't  mean  anything,  my  child,"  said 
Elise  gently,  for  this  pallor  surprised  and  worried 
her.  "  That  is  the  worst  of  it." 

Phyllis  moistened  her  lips.  "  And  when  we  go 
away  from  here,  it  will  be  some  other  girl  that  he 
will  talk  to  and  look  at  as  he  does  at  me  ?  " 

Mrs.  Redmond  felt  as  though  she  were  pressing 
a  knife  into  her  friend,  a  two-bladed  knife,  which 


TON  7  OFFENDS.  389 

wounded  herself  as  well ;  but  she  felt  she  must 
emulate  the  kind  nerve  of  the  surgeon.  "  Yes," 
she  answered.  "  It  will  always  be  the  prettiest 
girl,  wherever  he  happens  to  find  himself." 

Phyllis  gave  a  great,  dry  sob,  and  her  face  looked 
pinched.  She  saw  facts  in  their  true  light  for  the 
first  time.  She  knew  that,  from  the  moment  Tony's 
box  of  flowers  had  fallen  into  the  Snowdou  street, 
she  had  thought  of  him  day  and  night  without 
ceasing.  "  Then  what  shall  I  do  ?  "  she  said  de- 
spairingly. 

Her  attitude  and  words  broke  down  the  control 
Elise  was  constantly  imposing  on  her  own  excited 
feelings.  She  flung  her  arms  about  the  girl's  neck, 
and  broke  into  repressed  sobs.  "  O  Phyllis,  poor 
child,  do  you  love  him  ?  "  she  exclaimed,  shaken  by 
the  storm  passing  over  her.  "  God  knows  if  wo- 
men ever  recover  from  such  things." 

Phyllis  was  hardly  moved  by  the  tempest  she 
did  not  comprehend,  though  she  accepted  Elise's 
embrace.  Her  wound  ached,  and  numbed  her  to 
all  beside.  At  last  Mrs.  Redmond's  sudden  access 
of  emotion  passed.  She  regained  her  self-control, 
and  spoke  again.  "  "We  will  go  home,  Phyllis,  to- 
morrow, if  you  like." 

"  No,"  replied  the  girl.  "  The  one  thing  worse 
than  what  has  happened  would  be  for  him  to  sus- 
pect it.  I  have  talked  so  much  about  Saturday 
evening,  I  must  stay  and  go  through  with  it." 
Phyllis  looked  with  sombre  eyes  into  the  flushed 
face  of  her  companion.  "  If  I  can  only  be  brave 


890  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

enough,"  she  added.  "  I  wonder  how  I  shall  get 
on.  I  believe  I  have  never  had  anything  to  hide 
before." 

Mrs.  Redmond's  smooth  hand  clasped  hers. 
"  You  will  get  on,"  she  replied.  "  It  must  have 
been  foreseen  from  the  beginning  that  women 
would  need  the  art  of  dissimulation  more  than 
men,  for  they  have  it  naturally.  It  is  a  very 
happy  woman,  Phyllis,  who  needs  not  at  some  time 
in  her  life  to  be  an  actress,  and  a  clever  one." 

Phyllis  proved  to  be  sufficiently  clever  during 
the  next  few  days  for  her  own  defense,  and  Elise, 
watching,  for  some  time  saw  no  need  to  interfere  ; 
but  as  Phyllis  retreated,  Tony  advanced.  Had 
she  been  the  artfulest  schemer,  she  could  not  have 
devised  a  better  plan  than  her  own  wariness  for 
drawing  him  on.  Tony  could  not  understand  how 
it  was  managed  that  his  little  arrangements  were 
thwarted,  one  by  one,  and  at  last  he  was  forced 
into  certain  ebullitions  under  Mrs.  Redmond's  very 
eyes,  which  gave  her  reason  to  utilize  the  first  mo- 
ment she  found  herself  alone  with  him.  Phyllis 
was  making  a  gallant  fight,  and  it  thrilled  her 
every  fibre  with  indignation  to  see  her  so  hard 
pushed. 

There  was  a  spreading  oak  halfway  down  the 
hillside,  under  which  the  three  were  wont  to  spend 
a  portion  of  every  day.  On  the  much-anticipated 
Saturday,  Elise  advised  Phyllis  to  lie  down  a  time 
to  be  rested  for  the  evening,  while  she  and  Tony 
took  their  books  under  the  favorite  tree.  Phyllis 


TONT  OFFENDS.  391 

complied  without  question.  She  was  waiting  in 
these  days,  —  waiting  for  Monday  to  come,  for 
then  they  were  going  home. 

Mrs.  Redmond  felt  somewhat  tremulous  as  she 
went  down  the  hill,  escorted  by  the  unconscious 
Tony.  Her  splendid  health  was  not  entirely  proof 
against  the  inroads  of  suspense,  hope,  and  doubt 
of  the  past  ten  days,  and  her  irritation,  taking  the 
form  of  indignation  toward  Mr.  Bellows,  seethed 
and  pressed  for  outlet. 

He  arranged  her  comfortably  in  her  favorite 
spot,  and  himself  lay  down  on  the  grass.  "  What 
are  you  going  to  do,"  he  inquired  lazily,  "  read  to 
me?" 

"  No,  I  'in  not,"  she  returned  shortly.  "  I  am 
going  to  talk  to  you  about  your  utter,  wicked 
selfishness  toward  Phyllis." 

Tony  rolled  over  slowly,  and  looked  into  the 
handsome,  excited  eyes. 

"  I  warned  you  when  you  first  came,  and  yet 
you  have  gone  on,  doing  everything  you  possibly 
could  to  make  that  innocent  girl  care  for  you.  It 
is  short-sighted,  stupid  selfishness,  that  I  did  not 
think  you  capable  of,  Tony.  How  much  satisfac- 
tion would  it  be  to  you,  when  you  have  gone  off  to 
devote  yourself  to  somebody  else,  to  know  that  she 
did  care,  —  that  you  had  succeeded  in  robbing  her 
of  her  peace  of  mind  ?  Tell  me  that." 

Tony  looked  somewhat  surprised,  but  he  gazed 
eagerly  and  frankly  into  her  challenging  face. 

"  Why,  I  do  believe  you  must  think  she  likes 


392  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

me  a  little,  or  you  would  not  be  quite  so  severe," 
he  said  slowly. 

His  accuser  gazed  at  him  with  scorn  and  grief. 

"  This  disappoints  me  !  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  Upon  my  word,  I  've  led  such  a  life  the  last 
week  trying  to  find  out  that  there  's  hardly  any- 
thing left  of  me,"  observed  Mr.  Bellows  art- 
lessly. 

"  O  Tony,  are  you  really  so  egotistical,  so  shal- 
low, so  vain  ?  "  and  suddenly  bowing  her  face  in 
her  hands  Elise  burst  into  tears. 

Her  companion  looked  at  her  aghast.  "Mrs. 
Redmond,  Elise,  what  in  the  world  is  the  matter 
with  you  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  utterly  disconcerted  by 
this  extraordinary  display  of  emotion. 

"  I  am  ill,"  she  answered,  between  her  sobs, 
"  or  I  should  not  give  way  like  this  ;  but  I  '11  have 
you  know  that  I  am  crying  —  with  —  anger  at 

you." 

"You  needn't,  upon  my  word,"  said  her  com- 
panion soothingly.  "Please  stop,  and  listen  to 
me.  You  have  n't  given  me  a  chance  to  say  a 
word  in  my  own  defense." 

"Ob,  actions  speak  so  much  louder  than  words, 
Tony !  "  but  she  dried  her  tears  more  and  more 
successfully,  and  at  last  looked  with  tolerable  calm- 
ness off  toward  the  lake. 

Tony  began  quietly,  his  eyes  upon  her  averted 
face. 

"  We  both  remember  that  I  made  a  fool  of  my- 
self at  your  house  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  I  shall 


TONY  OFFENDS.  393 

always  feel  grateful  to  you  for  the  easy  way  you 
let  me  clown.  You  know  that,  don't  you  ?  " 

"Well?" 

"If  —  don't  be  angry  —  if  you  had  accepted 
me,  you  know  I  should  have  been  immensely  proud 
and  happy,  and  should  always  have  remained  so, 
don't  you?" 

Elise  smiled  faintly.  "  I  won't  discuss  it  with 
you,  at  all  events." 

"Well,"  continued  the  young  man  slowly,  "I 
did  not  love  you  as  I  do  Phyllis." 

Mrs.  Redmond  raised  her  eyebrows  and  swal- 
lowed the  lump  that  suddenly  rose  in  her  throat. 

"  Ah  !     You  think  you  love  Phyllis  ?  " 

"I  won't  discuss  it  with  you,  at  all  events." 

The  retort  was  so  prompt  that  Elise  smiled 
again. 

"  I  know  I  cut  an  awkward  enough  figure  in 
this  affair,"  went  on  Tony,  "  but  I  am  tremen- 
dously in  earnest,  and  I  cannot  stop  to  care  very 
much  if  I  do." 

"Indeed,"  said  Mrs.  Redmond,  calm  without, 
exultant  within ;  "  but  what  will  papa  say  ?  His 
only  son,  the  apple  of  his  eye  !  Will  he  accept  a 
little  country  girl  for  a  daughter  ?  " 

"  You  are  to  attend  to  that  part  of  it,"  returned 
Tony  coolly. 

Elise  looked  at  him.  "  Would  it  be  too  pre- 
suming in  me  to  inquire  how  ?•" 

"  I  '11  tell  you.  I  Ve  thought  it  all  out.  You 
wouldn't  want  to  stay  in  Snowdon  during  the 


394  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

winter,  anyway.  Take  an  apartment  in  town,  in- 
vite Phyllis  to  be  your  guest.  Entertain  a  little, 
and  invite  my  father." 

Mrs.  Redmond  looked  back  at  the  lake  with  a 
smile.  "  I  have  often  heard  you  declare  that 
there  is  nothing  small  about  you,  Tony.  You 
make  me  believe  you." 

"  You  know  how  my  father  has  always  felt  about 
you  for  Lina's  sake."  Tony  lowered  his  voice  at 
the  mention  of  his  dead  sister.  "  You  will  know 
exactly  how  to  impress  him  favorably  with  Phyl- 
lis." 

"  Yes,"  Mrs.  Redmond  returned  thoughtfully, 
"that  is  all  very  well.  Perhaps  I  might  submit 
to  your  plans  for  old  acquaintance'  sake,  but  Phyl- 
lis is  no  puppet.  Do  not  carry  your  day-dream 
so  far  that  you  cannot  wake  up  from  it  with  a  good 
grace." 

"  It  has  gone  too  far  already,"  said  Tony  quietly. 
"  It  is  a  great  thing  to  have  your  good  wishes, 
Mrs.  Redmond.  Will  you  give  them  to  me  ?  " 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  was  the  answer,  spoken 
cordially  at  last.  "To  tell  the  truth,  I  always 
thought  you  would  be  something  of  a  prize  as  a 
husband,  Tony." 

"  Yes,  for  some  other  woman,"  he  replied,  smil- 
ing. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

"THE   GOLDEN   CLOSE   OF   LOVE." 

SHORTLY  afterward,  Mrs.  Redmond  went  back 
to  the  hotel.  She  knew  it  would  be  rather  difficult 
to  betray  to  Phyllis  no  sign  of  her  discovery ;  es- 
pecially as  she  longed  to  rekindle  the  light  she 
had  extinguished  in  the  pretty  face.  She  deter- 
mined, at  least,  to  encourage  the  girl  to  enter  fully 
into  the  pleasures  of  this  last  evening,  and  on*  her 
way  to  the  house  concocted  a  variety  of  pleasant 
remarks  calculated  to  raise  her  spirits. 

Tony  wandered  off  restlessly  to  the  outskirts  of 
the  park,  vaulted  over  the  fence,  and  found  him- 
self on  the  border  of  a  wooded  ravine,  into  which 
he  descended,  tramping  ruthlessly  over  ferns  and 
moss  and  the  various  delicate  growths  of  the  silent 
and  shaded  spot.  His  thoughts  were  outrunning 
his  quick  march,  and  suddenly  a  tree  trunk,  rising 
with  unusually  inviting  smoothness,  tempted  him 
to  pause,  and,  after  the  fashion  of  scores  of  lovers 
before  and  since  the  time  of  Orlando,  to  trace 
thereon  the  letters  of  his  beloved's  name. 

"  P,"  he  muttered  aloud  as  he  made  the  first 
incision  with  his  knife ;  then  added  with  a  deliber- 
ate pause  after  every  word,  "  stands  for  pretty, 
pert,  provoking,  precious,  pef ;  and  she  is  all 
that." 


396  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  Who  are  you  libeling  ?  "  It  was  Phyllis  her- 
self who  spoke.  She  was  sitting  on  a  moss-covered 
log,  half  hidden  by  some  bushes.  Her  heart,  which 
had  nearly  choked  her  at  the  sudden  sight  of  Tony, 
beat  so  fast  at  his  words  that  she  spoke  desperately, 
fearing  that  in  a  minute  more  speech  would  be  im- 
possible, and  that  he  would  discover  her  an  eaves- 
dropper. 

Mr.  Bellows  looked  about,  and  beheld  the  flushed, 
upturned  face. 

"  You !  "  he  exclaimed,  taking  an  eager  step 
forward  and  seating  himself  beside  her.  "  What 
blessed  magic  brought  you  here,  Phyllis  ?  " 

"  My  natural  disobedience.  Mrs.  Redmond  told 
me  to  lie  down,  so  I  preferred  to  take  a  walk." 

"  Well,  I  shall  believe  hereafter  in  the  doctrine 
of  attendant  angels.  What  else  could  have  de- 
termined me  to  come  down  here  just  now !  We 
are  as  much  alone  as  though  we  were  a  thousand 
miles  from  civilization." 

Phyllis's  face  did  not  reflect  the  satisfaction 
which  this  consideration  seemed  to  give  her  com- 
panion. 

She  rose  quickly.  "  I  must  go  back.  Mrs.  Eed- 
mond  will  wonder  what  has  become  of  me." 

Tony  turned  pale  under  his  healthful  tan. 

"  Wait  one  minute,"  he  said.  "  I  have  some- 
thing to  tell  you.  Sit  down  once  more." 

"  I  can  hear  it  quite  as  well,  standing,"  replied 
Phyllis.  One  thing  was  clearly  distinct  among  the 
whirling  thoughts  in  her  mind.  She  was  not  going 


"THE  GOLDEN  CLOSE  OF  LOVE."  397 

to  furnish  Mr.  Bellows  any  more  amusement. 
Perhaps  he  had  discovered  her  before  murmuring 
that  audible  confidence  to  the  tree.  It  was  quite 
likely. 

Certainly,  Tony  had  not  the  air  just  now  of  be- 
ing entertained.  Phyllis  wore  a  business-like, 
spirited  expression  of  face  which  was  so  far  the 
reverse  of  encouraging  under  the  circumstances 
that  his  heart  felt  like  a  lump  of  lead  within  him. 
Tony  was  one  of  the  "  golden  youth  "  of  the  day, 
presumably  spoiled,  but  he  was  manly  enough  to 
feel  as  sincerely  humble  before  this  young  girl  as 
though  she  were  a  princess,  because  he  loved  her 
dearly,  and  felt  in  his  simple  way  that  his  posses- 
sions of  money  and  position  would  be  worthless  as 
Dead  Sea  apples  unshared  by  her. 

As  she  would  not  be  seated,  he  rose  and  faced 
her. 

"  Answer  me  honestly,  Phyllis,"  he  said,  "  have 
you  been  avoiding  me  lately  ?  " 

She  hesitated.  "  Yes,"  she  answered  at  last, 
bravely. 

"  Why  ?  "  The  direct  question  set  the  girl's 
heart  beating  again  until  she  seemed  to  hear  it, 
there  in  the  green,  sun-streaked  silence. 

"  Because,"  she  replied,  looking  into  his  grave 
eyes  with  the  courage  which  comes  to  a  girl  at 
bay  even  though  she  is  very  much  in  love,  "  you 
seemed  too  much  inclined  for  the  pastime  that  one 
cannot  play  at  alone.  I  thought  I  would  make 
way  for  Miss  Plum,  or  some  other  experienced 
girl." 


308     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Tony  looked  perplexed,  then  enlightened,  then 
reproachful. 

"  Did  you  think  I  would  flirt  with  you,  Phyl- 
lis ?  "  he  asked,  trying  to  take  her  hand. 

She  drew  back  from  him  and  clasped  her  hands 
behind  her,  holding  her  head  up  with  a  proud  air 
which  could  have  been  no  more  spontaneous  had 
she  been  a  princess  indeed.  "  I  think  you  will 
not,"  she  answered. 

Tony  looked  paler  than  ever.  "  I  have  lived 
over  this  scene  in  my  mind  hundreds  of  times, 
Phyllis.  I  did  not  think  it  could  be  so  hard  to 
speak.  I  do  not  understand  how  I  have  displeased 
you.  At  least  you  were  very  friendly  to  me  once. 
I  love  you  more  than  I  ever  dreamed  I  should 
love  anybody.  When  you  come  in  sight,  every 
drop  of  blood  in  my  body  seems  to  rush  on  its 
way,  and  I  feel  twice  as  happy  and  twice  as  strong 
as  I  did  before."  He  came  a  step  nearer,  and  his 
face  looked  wretched.  Before  she  could  guess  his 
intention,  he  clasped  her  to  him  fiercely  and  kissed 
her ;  then  he  released  her  as  suddenly,  turned  his 
back,  and  leaned  his  head  on  his  arm  against  the 
tree  trunk  scarred  by  his  knife. 

Phyllis  caught  her  breath  at  the  sudden  attack, 
and  a  crimson  flush  stained  her  face  and  neck. 
Her  breast  rose  and  fell  as  she  gazed  with  dark, 
full  eyes,  at  the  immovable  figure. 

He  lifted  his  head  after  a  time,  and,  turning, 
leaned  against  the  tree,  his  face  set,  and  his  eyes 
gloomily  meeting  Phyllis's. 


"  THE  GOLDEN  CLOSE   OF  LOVE."  399 

"  I  suppose  you  will  never  forgive  me  for  that," 
he  said  brusquely. 

Phyllis  swallowed.  "  I  am  very  sorry  "  —  she 
began. 

"  I  knew  you  would  be  sorry  for  me  if  it  went 
this  way.  Never  mind.  Don't  wait.  Go  back 
to  the  hotel.  I  will  come  presently." 

The  faintest  of  smiles  played  about  Phyllis's 
lips.  She  half  turned  away.  "  Of  course  I  must  go 
if  you  tell  me,"  she  replied.  "  There  is  one  thing 
you  will  know  yourself  capable  of  doing  alone 
hereafter.  You  can  propose  and  be  rejected  all 
by  yourself." 

Tony  kept  his  eyes  on  hers.  "  I  did  not  think 
you  a  girl  to  make  game  of  a  man,"  he  said. 

Phyllis  gave  a  little  shrug  of  her  shoulders.  "  I 
think  myself  so  lucky  to  get  a  word  in  edgewise 
at  last  that  I  scarcely  know  what  I  say.  You  are 
a  great  talker  —  Tony." 

It  was  the  first  time  she  had  ever  called  him  by 
his  name,  and  there  was  such  a  combination  of 
sauciness  and  tenderness  in  her  face  that  her  lover 
walked  to  her  as  though  drawn  by  a  magnet. 

"  Have  you  anything  to  say  ?  You  know  I  am 
always  willing  to  listen  to  you." 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  Phyllis,  with  exaggerated 
humility.  "In  acknowledgment,  then,  of  your 
condescension,  permit  me  to  remark  that  you  have 
not  displeased  me,  and  that  I  —  still  like  you  as 
well  as  I  ever  did." 

"  Ah !  "   sighed  Tony    with  a  deep,  uneontrol- 


400  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

lable  breath ;  "  but  that  never  has  been  satisfac- 
tory." 

"  Then  I  will  add  that  I  like  you  very  much," 
continued  the  girl  demurely. 

Tony's  eyes  began  to  glow.  "  Phyllis,"  he  said, 
"I  don't  understand  you.  Is  this  the  cat  and 
mouse  business  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  the  girl,  her  eyes  filling  as  he 
caught  her  hands,  "  this  is  solitaire.  You  have 
played  your  hand  all  through,  and  now  I  suppose 
I  must  play  mine.  Let  me  see,  the  proposal  must 
come  first  before  I  can  "  — 

Tony  hung  on  her  words,  but  the  last  one  would 
not  be  spoken.  After  he  had  waited  a  second  he 
clasped  her  in  his  arms  again,  tenderly  this  time, 
beseechingly.  "  Darling,  darling,"  he  cried,  "  was 
I  mistaken  ?  " 

Phyllis  lifted  her  re'd  rosebud  of  a  face.  "  You 
were  dreadfully  mis  "  —  but  the  rest  of  the  word 
was  lost. 

Mrs.  Redmond  had  had  time  to  suspect  all  sorts 
of  calamities  to  Phyllis  before  the  girl  returned. 
Indeed,  she  was  just  starting  down  the  stairs, 
determined  to  institute  a  search  which  should 
set  her  fears  at  rest,  when  she  came  face  to  face 
with  the  missing  one,  running  lightly  up  the  stair- 
case. 

"  Where  have  you  been,  you  naughty  girl  ? " 
she  asked,  feeling  something  extraordinary  in  the 
air  the  minute  she  saw  the  glowing  face. 


"THE   GOLDEN  CLOSE   OF  LOVE."  401 

For  answer,  Phyllis  seized  her  and  drew  her  into 
her  room,  and  planted  herself  against  the  closed 
door. 

"  You  were  mistaken  "  (this  time  she  gave  the 
whole  word  successfully  and  with  triumphant  em- 
phasis) ;  "  he  was  not  flirting." 

"  Dear  me,"  said  Elise,  sinking  into  a  chair  and 
regarding  the  starry  eyes  with  an  irrepressible 
smile.  "  Who  would  have  thought  it !  " 

Phyllis  shook  her  head.  "  No,  he  was  n't.  He 
is  in  earnest,  and  so  am  I,  and  —  Oh,  I  am  so 
happy !  "  She  ran  to  her  friend  and,  falling  on 
her  knees  beside  her,  laid  her  head  in  her  lap. 

"•  Then  so  ani  I,"  returned  Mrs.  Redmond,  strok- 
ing her  hair  :  "  very,  very  happy,  and  I  congratu- 
late you  heartily.  Do  you  know  you  are  going  to 
make  a  fine  match,  Phyllis  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  do,"  was  the  prompt  response. 

Elise  smiled.  She  wondered  how  much  the 
girl  meant.  "  People  will  say  I  did  well  for  you," 
she  added. 

Phyllis  looked  up.  "  How  ?  By  not  caring  for 
him  ?  I  do  thank  you  so  much  for  that,"  she 
replied  simply. 

Mrs.  Redmond  flushed.  "  No,  you  blessed  child. 
The  feeling  Tony  had  for  me  was  very  shallow. 
People  who  marry  on  such  sentiments  make  ship- 
wreck. I  referred  to  his  prospects." 

"  Oh,"  said  Phyllis  indifferently. 

"  Have  you  thought  that  you  will  live  in  a  fine 
house,  and  wear  fine  dresses  and  jewels,  and  have 


402  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

as  many  horses  as  you  like,  and  travel  when  you 
please  ?  " 

The  girl  sat  on  the  floor  and  looked  up,  her  cap 
set  on  the  back  of  her  curls. 

"  All  that  and  Tony  too  !  "  she  answered  in  an 
awestruck  tone  which  stirred  Mrs.  Redmond's  risi- 
bles  again. 

"  Yes,  and  Tony's  papa  beside,  a  solid  and 
pompous  individual." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Phyllis  soberly.  "  Perhaps  he 
won't  like  me  at  first,  but  Tony  says  you  will  at- 
tend to  him." 

"  Oh,  I  will  attend  to  him,"  returned  Mrs.  Red- 
mond, loth  to  disturb  such  placid  faith.  "  So  you 
have  not  taken  your  worldly  good  fortune  into 
consideration.  Happy  Tony  !  " 

"  Yes,  I  have,"  replied  the  other,  with  a  bright 
nod.  "  He  is  not  going  to  dance  with  Miss  Plum 
once  to-night,  and  he  will  not  dance  with  any  one 
but  you  and  me,  and  I  'm  not  to  dance  with 
anybody  but  him.  He  will  arrange  it  so  that  I 
need  n't." 

"  So  we  are  going  to  the  dance  just  the  same  ?  " 
asked  Elise,  to  whose  mind  the  possibility  had 
arrived  that  she  might  now  be  spared  that  bore. 

"  Oh,  we  are  going  to  the  dance  a  great  deal 
more!"  returned  Phyllis  gayly. 

Mrs.  Redmond  concealed  her  disappointment 
generously.  After  all,  in  two  days  she  would  be 
at  home  again. 

"  To-night  is  a  great  occasion,"  she  answered. 


"  THE   GOLDEN  CLOSE    OF  LOVE."  403 

"  I  shall  wear  my  favorite  white  gown,  and  be  as 
superb  as  possible  in  honor  of  you  and  Tony." 

Very  superb  she  was  indeed,  and  more  of  a 
belle  than  ever  in  the  ball-room  that  evening. 
She  pressed  Tony's  hand  and,  looking  into  his 
radiant  face,  wished  that  he  might  give  and  receive 
all  happiness  in  the  life  he  was  beginning. 

She  concluded  to  dance  to-night  since,  by  so 
doing,  she  would  leave  the  newly  betrothed  couple 
free  of  care  of  her ;  but  for  all  her  determination, 
the  hours  seemed  leaden.  While  she  endeavored  to 
fulfill  the  duties  of  her  position,  her  thoughts  were 
haunted  by  Chester's  image,  and  the  humiliating 
situation  in  which  his  neglect  had  placed  her. 
Now  that  her  responsibility  toward  Phyllis  was 
greatly  lessened,  selfish  considerations  poured  into 
her  mind  in  an  unobstructed  flood.  She  recalled 
what  seemed  to  her  now  the  state  of  besotted  en- 
thusiasm in  which  she  had  sent  that  hateful  letter. 
How  thankful  she  was  that  she  had  not  remained 
to  bear  its  consequences  !  Chester  had  responded 
so  far  as  to  come  to  Snowdon  ;  but  in  a  perfunc- 
tory manner  which  she  could  picture  to  herself, 
else  of  course  he  would  have  made  further  search 
for  her.  Doubtless,  she  thought  with  crimsoning 
cheeks,  he  had  been  relieved  not  to  find  her,  and 
had  considered  that  he  escaped  easily. 

Just  as  in  some  moods  she  had  been  able  only 
to  remember  his  devotion,  and  intuitively  to  rely 
upon  it,  so  now  she  was  fully  convinced  of  his 
cold  criticism  or  indifference,  and  she  tortured 


404     THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

herself  with  mental  pictures  of  his  probable  amuse- 
ment at  her  fatuous  exhibition  of  weakness,  until 
her  hastened  breathing  set  the  diamond  star  upon 
her  bosom  to  flashing  with  a  thousand  lights. 

"  I  cannot  dance.  Why  force  myself  any 
longer?"  she  thought.  Her  partner  at  the  mo- 
ment was  the  infatuated  Lambert,  and  she  excused 
herself  from  him  on  the  plea  of  indisposition. 

"  I  am  really  not  well,"  she  said.  "  I  think  I 
shall  have  to  return  to  the  hotel.  I  came  for  Miss 
Flower's  sake  to-night,  and  I  know  Mrs.  Dayton 
will  be  kind  enough  to  mother  her  for  me  if  I  ask 
her.  I  have  left  my  wrap  at  the  other  end  of  the 
room." 

The  young  man  seated  her  after  some  expres- 
sions of  sympathy,  and  then  darted  away.  Next 
to  the  pleasure  of  dancing  with  Mrs.  Redmond 
was  the  delight  of  executing  a  commission  for  her. 

Elise  breathed  a  little  more  freely  ;  but  a  sudden 
turn  of  her  head  showed  her  something  which  sent 
the  hot  blood  to  her  face.  Receding,  it  left  her 
faint  and  white. 

Terriss  Chester  was  standing  in  the  doorway 
and  looking  eagerly  about  the  room.  He  had  not 
yet  perceived  her.  She  overcame  with  a  strong 
will  the  panic  that  beset  her,  and,  recovering 
quickly,  was  ready  by  the  time  he  found  her  to 
bow  to  him  as  a  queen  might  acknowledge  the 
least  of  her  subjects. 

He  seemed  to  feel  no  lack  in  her  salutation. 
With  a  luminous  look  in  his  eyes,  he  advanced  to 


"THE  GOLDEN  CLOSE  OF  LOVE."  405 

her.  u  At  last,"  he  said  in  a  repressed  voice, 
clasping  the  unresponsive  hand  she  gave  him. 
She  was  so  little  prepared  for  the  concentrated 
radiance  in  his  face  that  her  self-control  seemed 
slipping  from  her. 

"  When  did  you  come  ?  "  was  all  she  could  say. 

"  Just  now.  I  have  no  dress-suit ;  I  am  not 
fit  to  come  in  here  ;  but  how  could  I  wait  ?  You 
will  come  with  me?  " 

"  AVhere  ?  "  asked  Elise  coolly,  though  the  dia- 
mond star  was  speaking  for  her  with  myriad  rosy 
and  celestial  lights. 

"  Out,  anywhere."  He  smiled  with  such  abso- 
lute trust  and  happiness  that  she  felt  shaken  and 
bewildered. 

Mr.  Lambert  approached  with  the  wrap.  Mrs. 
Redmond  named  the  two  men  to  one  another,  then 
she  addressed  the  younger.  "  Mr.  Chester  will 
take  me  to  the  hotel,"  she  said.  "  It  is  impossible 
for  me  to  speak  with  every  one  who  wished  me  to 
dance.  Perhaps  you  will  ma^p  my  excuses  where 
you  see  it  to  be  necessary." 

She  gave  the  young  man  a  smile  which  went 
directly  to  his  head  and  set  him  stammering  an 
eager  assent,  then  she  rose  and  took  Chester's  arm, 
pausing  before  passing  out  of  the  door  to  ask  Mrs. 
Dayton  to  speak  to  Phyllis  when  she  had  oppor- 
tunity, and  kindly  to  look  after  her. 

"  I  think  she  needs  looking  after,"  was  the  stout 
lady's  smiling  response.  "  Mr.  Bellows  is  monopo- 
lizing her." 


406  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

"  With  very  good  reason,"  returned  Mrs.  Red- 
mond, in  a  significant,  low  tone.  "  We  are  not 
quite  ready  to  announce  it,  Mrs.  Dayton.  You 
understand,"  and  Elise  passed  on,  leaving  her  ac- 
quaintance in  a  flattered  condition  of  smiling  sur- 
prise. 

"  You  received  my  line,  of  course  ?  "  asked  Ter- 
riss  as  they  passed  out  across  the  piazza  and  down 
upon  the  walk. 

"  No,  I  have  received  nothing." 

"  Why,  how  could  that  be  ?  After  I  first  went 
back  to  Snowdon  and  found  you  were  gone  and 
that  I  could  not  see  Miss  Rebecca,  I  had  my  first 
moment  of  collected  thought.  I  concluded  that  I 
should  be  a  grain  more  worthy  to  approach  you  if 
I  showed  sufficient  self-respect  to  have  ceased  to 
be  a  vagrant  before  I  presented  myself.  I  have 
worked  since  that  day  as  I  never  worked  before. 
No  stone  has  been  left  unturned  ;  but  the  time 
seemed  so  long,  I  grew  desperate,  and  sent  to 
Miss  Rebecca  for  your  address.  She  gave  it  to 
me,  and  I  wrote  you  a  few  words.  Soon  afterward 
I  stumbled  upon  the  track  of  something  promising, 
and  secured  almost  a  certainty  of  a  good  position. 
There  remained  to  be  obtained  the  assent  of  one 
man.  I  inquired  his  address,  and  found  he  was 
at  Deep  Lake.  Imagine  what  I  felt.  Well,  be- 
fore I  entered  the  hall  to-night  I  saw  him,  and  it  is 
all  right.  I  am  not  a  vagrant.  Elise,"  he  added, 
pausing  after  his  hastily  spoken  sketch,  and  speak- 
ing her  name  yearningly.  They  had  passed  be- 


"THE  GOLDEN  CLOSE  OF  LOVE."  407 

yond  the  sound  of  the  buzz  of  voices,  and  the 
music,  idealized,  floated  to  them  through  the  cool 
moonlit  night.  They  stood  still  in  the  shadow  of 
a  far-reaching  elm. 

Mrs.  Redmond  looked  up  at  the  passionate  ap- 
peal of  his  voice. 

"You  did  not  come,  you  did  not  write,"  she 
said  unsteadily.  "  I  feared  my  letter  was  a  mis- 
take." 

"  Your  letter  a  mistake  ?  Oh,  what  do  you 
mean  ?  It  lies  against  my  heart,  and  will  while  I 
live.  I  had  nothing  to  forgive  you.  You  had 
much  to  forgive  me.  Those  words  of  yours 
changed  this  work  -  a  -  day  world  into  an  Eden. 
They  held  a  magic  fire,  inspiring,  transforming. 
They  gave  me  strength  to  stay  away,  when  staying 
away  tested  more  power  of  endurance  than  I 
thought  I  possessed.  They  gave  me  permission  to 
guess  —  to  guess.  O  Elise,"  his  voice  dropped 
lower,  and  its  intensity  thrilled  her  to  the  heart  of 
her  being,  "  if  I  have  guessed  wrong,  I  have  had  a 
season  of  happiness  which  must  be  the  solace  of 
all  my  after-life." 

In  the  deep  silence  that  followed,  he  saw  how 
pale  she  had  become  in  the  moonlight.  Her  wrap, 
half  fallen  away,  disclosed  the  star,  rising,  falling, 
sending  forth  its  countless  coruscations  of  passion- 
ate color.  Her  beauty  filled  him  with  a  strength 
of  feeling  that  was  painful. 

"  You  are  always  fearless,"  he  added,  in  the 
same  low  tone.  "  If  you  never  felt  as  I  hoped, 


408  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

say  so.  If  you  imagined  for  a  time  you  did,  but 
afterward  found  it  was  not  so,  do  not  hesitate,  — 
tell  me.  You  are  my  queen  in  any  case,  always, 
for  all  time.  Tell  me,  am  I  living  in  a  fool's  para- 
dise, or  is  it  heaven  ?  " 

She  drifted  nearer  him  in  her  misty  gown,  and 
looked  into  his  face  with  a  tender  smile  that  set 
every  pulse  in  his  body  beating  as  he  took  her 
yielding  form  in  his  arms. 

He  pressed  her  close,  close  to  his  heart,  and 
their  lips  met. 

"  Now  that  you  have  come,  it  is  heaven,"  she 
breathed. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THANKSGIVING. 

THE  snow  lay  softly  brilliant  over  every  rise  and 
fall  of  ground  at  Beech  Knoll,  and  weighed  down 
the  branches  of  the  pines  with  a  sparkling  burden. 
The  river  flowed  darkly  between  dazzling  banks. 
It  was  Thanksgiving  Day,  and  a  dinner  party  was 
expected  at  the  old  home  as  a  parting  festivity ; 
for  next  month  Mrs.  Redmond  would  be  married, 
and  go  with  her  artist  husband  to  a  foreign  city, 
where  he  could  carry  out  some  of  the  dreams  of 
his  boyhood.  Elise  had  had  several  earnest  talks 
with  Chester  before  she  finally  succeeded  in  con- 
vincing him  that  his  proud  independence  was  in 
this  case  misplaced ;  but  he  at  last  agreed  that 
there  should  be  no  more  talk  between  them  of 
thine  and  mine,  and  he  came  to  believe,  as  Elise 
earnestly  averred,  that  had  her  father  lived,  his 
well-known  love  for  his  adopted  son  would  have 
triumphed  over  the  temporary  fit  of  anger  in  which 
he  cast  him  off. 

The  dinner  party  to-day  was  to  consist  of  Ter- 
riss  Chester,  Mr.  Terriss,  who,  from  the  day  he 
was  able  to  be  moved,  had  been  a  member  of  Rox- 
ana's  family,  Phyllis,  and  Tony,  beside  the  two 
hostesses. 


410  THE  MISTRESS   OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

Mr.  Bellows  senior  would  also  have  been  of  the 
number,  had  not  business  interests  compelled  him 
to  eat  his  Thanksgiving  dinner  in  Chicago.  Mrs. 
Redmond  had,  as  Phyllis  phrased  it,  attended  to 
him.  Through  the  month  of  October  she  had 
taken  apartments  at  the  Vendome,  and  Phyllis 
had  been  her  guest.  Thanks  to  her  tact,  and  the 
genuine  charm  of  the  young  girl  whose  cause  she 
espoused,  she  succeeded  in  her  undertaking  more 
quickly  than  she  had  dared  to  hope  •  and  when 
Phyllis  was  retired  from  that  brief  dream  of  din- 
ner and  theatre  parties,  and  cozy  social  evenings, 
she  felt  no  surer  of  Tony  than  she  did  of  his  digni- 
fied sire. 

Roxana  had  rarely  in  her  life  missed  a  Thanks- 
giving service  in  the  church,  but  to-day  she  was 
obliged  to  omit  it,  being  much  hurried  to  get  her 
work  done  at  home  in  time  to  be  on  hand  at  Beech 
Knoll  for  the  numerous  duties  she  had  set  her  heart 
upon  performing  there.  Mrs.  Redmond's  servants 
liked  Roxana.  There  was  never  any  danger  of  her 
making  trouble  among  them,  and  of  course  Mrs. 
Redmond  had  wished  to  include  her  in  the  invi- 
tation. 

Mrs.  Sherritt  had  scarcely  yet  grown  accus- 
tomed to  the  astonishing  news  that  was  brought 
home  from  Deep  Lake.  She  was  wont  to  shake 
her  head  over  her  work,  and  sigh,  and  hope  it 
would  all  be  for  the  best ;  but  when  Tony  had 
been  at  the  house  a  few  times,  she  smiled  in  secret 
more  often  than  she  sighed.  She  adjusted  herself 


THANKSGIVING.  411 

quite  easily  and  with  great  satisfaction  to  the  other 
match,  and  was  fond  of  recounting  to  Mr.  Terriss 
his  cousin's  excited  behavior  on  the  day  he  first 
saw  Mrs.  Redmond  on  the  street. 

u  If  ever  I  saw  a  man  knocked  all  of  a  heap," 
she  repeated,  again  and  again,  "  Mr.  Chester  was 
that  man." 

The  minister  extracted  a  large  amount  of  quiet 
amusement  from  Roxana  in  these  days.  He  could 
see  the  stining  effect  upon  her  of  this  new  atmos- 
phere of  love-making.  Mrs.  Sherritt  resurrected 
a  song  from  the  depths  of  her  memory,  which 
seemed  to  comprise  her  sentiments  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  matrimony  ;  and  her  singing  being  of  the 
stentorian  order,  Mr.  Terriss  was  often  entertained 
by  it  as  he  sat,  reading  his  paper,  while  Roxana, 
in  the  next  room,  laid  down  the  law  to  slow  music. 
Thus  she  sang,  with  much  emphasis  :  — 

' '  She  was  not  took  out  of  his  head,  Sir, 
To  reign  like  a  tyrant  o'er  man, 
She  was  not  took  out  of  his  feet,  Sir, 
By  man  to  be  trampled  upon. 

"  But  she  was  took  out  of  his  side,  Sir, 
Man's  faithful  companion  to  be, 
And  now  that  they  both  are  united, 
The  man  's  at  the  top  o'  the  tree." 

Roxana  usually  gave  the  last  line  rather  faintly. 
Mr.  Terriss  could  but  feel  that  just  there  the  song 
did  not  truthfully  express  her  opinion. 

She  was  flying  about  the  dining-room  at  Beech 
Knoll,  lending  an  efficient  helping  hand,  when 


412  THE  MISTRESS  OF  BEECH  KNOLL. 

sleighbells  announced  the  arrival  of  the  party  from 
church.  There  was  a  great  snapping  fire  of  logs 
in  the  parlor  to  welcome  them,  and  Tony's  roses 
had  made  all  the  air  sweet.  As  the  sextette  came 
in,  glowing  from  the  cold,  even  Rebecca's  cheeks 
had  a  pink  tinge.  One  could  see  now  that  the 
minister's  illness  had  turned  his  hair  very  gray, 
but  otherwise  he  looked  natural,  and  his  kind  eyes 
were  full  of  serene  content  to-day.  They  all  drew 
near  the  cheery  fire,  and  Tony  took  Phyllis' s  hands 
to  warm  them.  Chester's  face  and  form  seemed 
all  to  have  expanded  in  the  last  three  months. 
He  looked  a  fit  mate  for  Elise  as  she  stood  there, 
radiant  in  her  enveloping  furs.  Rebecca  thought 
so  as  she  regarded  them,  and  when  they  had  all 
doffed  their  outside  wraps  and  were  waiting  the 
summons  to  dinner,  she  found  him  near  her,  and 
met  the  cordial  look  his  eyes  always  held  when 
they  rested  on  her. 

"  The  prince  did  finally  come  who  won  the 
lady,"  she  said  quietly,  smiling  at  the  memory  of 
that  long-ago  talk. 

"  How  wonderful  it  is !  "  he  returned,  simply 
and  earnestly.  "  I  am  not  yet  accustomed  to  it. 
I  sometimes  wonder  if  I  shall  ever  be." 

Mr.  Terriss,  standing  beside  Rebecca,  was  in- 
cluded in  the  closing  words. 

"You  will  become  used  to  it,"  he  said, "  because 
happiness  is  intended  to  be  our  normal  state.  We 
adjust  ourselves  to  it  with  comparative  quickness 
for  that  reason.  Human  beings  are  a  good  deal 


THANKSGIVING.  413 

like  suspended  harmonies,  craving  to  find  the  home 
key.  Some  are  resolved  into  concord  in  this  life, 
some  later.  I  am  very  glad  for  you,  Terriss." 

The  men  shook  hands,  and  Terriss,  with  the  two 
serene,  kind  faces  before  him,  suddenly  had  a 
novel  thought,  born  of  affection  for  them  both. 

It  seemed  to  him  a  significant  coincidence  that 
Elise  should  advance  at  that  moment,  having  re- 
ceived her  maid's  announcement  that  dinner  was 
served. 

"  Mr.  Terriss,  will  you  take  Rebecca  ? "  she 
said. 

"  I  will,"  responded  the  minister. 


